Losing a Loved One
- Actress Joan Collins, 87, shared a loving tribute to her goddaughter Milica Kastner, whom she just lost to stage 4 colon cancer at 49 years old.
- Kastner was born into Old Hollywood royalty as the daughter of the late producer Elliot Kastner, and called late actress Grace Kelly and late legend Frank Sinatra godparents as well.
- A top expert tells SurvivorNet that there is hope for stage 4 colon cancer patients now that medicine is advancing.
Milica Kastner, the daughter of the late film producer Elliot Kastner, lost her battle with stage 4 colon cancer (and stage 4 uterine sarcoma – a rare cancer of the uterus) at 49 years old after she was told in early 2019 that she didn’t have much time left.
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Collins stepped in as Kastner’s godmother when late actress Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco, died in 1982. Kastner’s mother, Tessa Kennedy, was good friends with Kelly. Late legend Frank Sinatra was her godfather.
Kastner’s father Elliot also died from cancer back in 2010 at 80 years old. Elliot did big screen adaptations of the Raymond Chandler novels The Long Goodbye and The Big Sleep, and worked with Hollywood legend Marlon Brando.
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Joan Collins became a household name when she stepped in to play Alexis Carrington on the hit ’80s show Dynasty. The decadent nighttime soap is remembered for its evening gowns, power suits, costume jewelry, heavy makeup and big shoulder pads.
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How to Handle a Loved One’s Diagnosis
Going through any cancer diagnosis with a family member or loved one is difficult. But it can be even harder to go through it with a younger family member. Although Kastner sadly lost her life to stage 4 cancer, there is still hope for many people with stage 4. No matter what their type of cancer or prognosis, it’s important to know how to be there for a loved one and understand what they’re going through.
“Cancer can be a huge strain on the entire family,” breast cancer survivor Melissa Berry tells SurvivorNet. “And I think, in some ways, it can bring people together. It can make you much stronger. Or it could weaken a relationship.”
Berry shares that she goes through mood swings and sometimes doesn’t even recognize herself. “And I think that it’s important for the people that are close to the patient to understand that you’re going to be going through some really rough stuff, not just physically, but emotionally,” she says.
She suggests going for a walk if you’re in an argument. “Don’t let it tear you guys up. Because, for the most part, there is a beginning, a middle, and an end. And you want to come out on the other side united and together.”
When Someone You Love is Facing Cancer
Treatment For Stage 4 Colon Cancer
Stage 4 colon cancer means that the cancer has spread away from the colon to a distant part in the body or to another organ nearby. “Sometimes with different chemotherapy and surgical treatment, you can get patients to have complete cure,” Dr. Heather Yeo from Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian tells SurvivorNet. “Their chance of survival’s lower than stage 3. But we still get cures even in stage 4 patients, which I think is really exciting.”
Understanding Options for Stage 4 Colon Cancer
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