Kim Coburn,RE/MAX Town & Country Realty
by Laura Breen Galante
Take it from a breast-cancer survivor, a self-exam could save your life.
Realtor Kim Coburn is celebrating 21 years of being cancer-free. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in her late 30s after finding a lump in her breast during a self-exam.
“It is so important to do breast self-exams,” says Kim, “even if you’re in your 30s.”
While Kim’s tumor was small – she describes it as a very small pellet – it was unfortunately malignant. Having spread to her lymph nodes, the breast cancer was considered stage two.
Kim endured a lumpectomy, radiation, and chemotherapy, which can really knock you out, she says. But she put her strength into her work and powered through it. She recalls those days as busy and exhausting.
“During my chemo, I was working like a madwoman on a huge corporate relocation account,” Kim recalls. She lost her hair due to the chemo, but she donned a wig and just kept on going. “I had good makeup and a nice wig,” she jokes.
Kim feels that if you can stay mentally strong, you can conquer anything.
“None of my clients even knew I was sick,” she says. “I just pretended I wasn’t. I think that helped me feel like I wasn’t sick.”
She toughed it out for eight rounds of chemo, every six weeks. Then came the radiation.
After showing houses to clients during the day, she spent her evenings coaching not one but two cheerleading squads.
“I would go from chemo straight to Pop Warner cheerleading,” Kim remembers. “Those girls were so sweet – they really kept me alive.”
She also helped coach the freshman cheerleading squad at Winter Springs High School.
“I just kept really busy and kept moving forward,” she says.
Staying busy is easy if you love what you do, and Kim is fully dedicated to her role as Realtor.
“Every day is a new day,” she says of her 39-year career as a top broker/Realtor in Central Florida.
As of today, more than 1,200 happy customers refer Kim to family and friends for help buying and selling houses. Even the teen cheerleaders she once coached often hire her when buying their first homes.
“They still call me Coach Kim,” she laughs.
Kim knows the ins and outs of all real-estate matters, from things to think about when buying your first place to redecorating ideas for your empty nest. She can also help deftly navigate any surprises during a home sale or purchase. This adaptability served her well during treatment.
“In spite of everything, if you persevere and you stay strong, you can conquer
anything,” says Kim. “I’m now totally free and clear of breast cancer.”
Kim hopes her story of early detection will encourage other women to do two things: get an annual mammogram and do self breast exams.
“It’s very important no matter what your age to make sure you do your self-exam,” she says. “If you find anything, get it checked out.”
Kim’s cancer was fortunately caught early enough that it didn’t spread to any other organs. She wants to encourage anyone facing a cancer diagnosis and treatment to stay positive, follow what their bodies need, and focus on the future.
October is breast-cancer awareness month, which is a great reminder to do that self-exam and make an appointment for a mammogram. In addition, there are a number of local events celebrating survivors and supporting those fighting the disease.
“It can shake up your life for sure,” says Kim, “but it’s taught me to look on the brighter side of life. I think breast cancer made me a stronger person.”
For more info visit Kim Coburn