Kate Kaufling was described as “courageous till the very finish.”
A university sophomore has died following a battle with bone most cancers.
College of Kentucky Athletics introduced the dying of Kentucky Wildcats Dance Group Member Kate Kaufling on Sunday in a information launch Monday. Kaufling was 20.
The Wildcats’ head coach Daybreak Walters known as Kaufling a “pleasure” in an announcement.
“Kate was a pleasure to teach and to be round. Her smile may mild up a room and she or he was beloved by all of her UKDT teammates,” Walters mentioned. “We’re all saddened by Kate’s passing. We’ll keep in mind her for the robust battle she fought with osteosarcoma over the previous yr. She was courageous till the very finish and all of us can draw inspiration from the brave battle that she fought. Our ideas, prayers and love are with the Kaufling household.”
Along with being a dance crew member, Kaufling was additionally learning nursing on the college, situated in Lexington, Kentucky.
Sandy Bell, the chief affiliate athletics director at UK, known as Kaufling an “superb scholar” in one other assertion.
“Even throughout her most cancers remedies, Kate stored up along with her research, setting a tremendous instance for her teammates,” Bell mentioned. “Kate was beloved by all who knew her and she or he will probably be deeply missed. On behalf of UK Athletics, we ship our deepest sympathies to Holly, Steve, Abbey and your complete Kaufling household.”
The most cancers Kaufling had – osteosarcoma – is a kind of uncommon most cancers the place a tumor develops within the new tissue of rising bones, in accordance with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. Bone cancers like osteosarcoma account for about 5% of all childhood cancers.
Osteosarcoma, the commonest sort of bone most cancers, tends to seem in adolescents and kids. Those that have beforehand acquired chemotherapy or radiation remedy, have a change within the RB1 gene or different particular genetic circumstances, equivalent to Li-Fraumeni syndrome or Paget illness, have a better threat of creating osteosarcoma, in accordance with the Nationwide Most cancers Institute.
Signs of osteosarcoma could embody joint ache, swelling above a bone or bony a part of the physique or an unexplained damaged bone and the situation is recognized by means of imaging assessments and a biopsy. Remedy choices for osteosarcoma depend upon a affected person’s prognosis and situation, and will embody surgical procedure, chemotherapy or radiation remedy.
Kaufling is survived by her dad and mom Holly and Steve and her twin sister Abbey, who can also be a sophomore and member of the Wildcats Dance Group.
