Kelli Kovarik, a teacher at North Fayette Valley High School and co-owner of K&K Gardens with her husband, Keith, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in November 2016. She had her thyroid removed on Jan. 3, and she now needs to receive a single radiation treatment and CT scan so the doctors can be sure the cancer didn’t spread. She encourages others to get their thyroid checked out, because if it is caught early enough, the cancer has a 98 percent cure rate. Chris DeBack photo
Spreading the word
By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com
Living in a small town can be a curse as well as a blessing.
At least Kelli Kovarik of Hawkeye believes so, especially when it comes down to talking about that dreadful “C word,” cancer.
Being a private person, she was a little reluctant to sit down and talk about her ongoing experience with thyroid cancer.
However, a part of her realizes the importance of talking about it, not just for her own sake, but for the sake of others. Whether she’ll ever know it or not, her speaking up could save someone else’s life.