Kay Voss
Cancer Survivor
Stratton, NE
Biography
Kay is a survivor from Stratton, Nebraska. The 2025 Bike America Team had the pleasure of talking to her at Stratton Country Market. After experiencing symptoms at work, she was diagnosed with a Benign Eye Tumor after getting an MRI. Kay emphasizes the importance of her co-workers and son as her support system, and her biggest piece of advice is to stand tall.
first symptoms, Diagnosis, and treatment
I had headaches, so I don't know whether that was part of it or not. I had headaches at work and one day I was at the computer, and I stood up, and I was working, and everything went dark. And I worked with this guy Vince — he was over there, and I said Vince, I can't see anything, everything's gone, and he turned around, “what?” I said, “everything's gone.” He took me to a chair, sat me down, and I put my head down, and I come back up, and then I could see again. So that was the beginning — I didn't know what it would lead to.
So I went to my family practitioner, and I can't remember his name. Anyway, he sent me to the eye doctor, the eye doctor sent me back to the doctor, the doctor got me in for an MRI that day, and the MRI technician, he asked me, “do you want to see what's going on?” He said, "What happened?” I said, "I went blind at work." He says, "you want to see what caused that?" So I said, "yes.“ He says, "okay." So then I went into the room and there was this big splotch behind my right eye; I didn't know what it was.
And from there, I went to see Dr. Fried. I went back to my doctor and then he sent me to Dr. Fried, and that man saved my life, but that was 22 years ago. My son was two years old, and I will never forget saying to Dr. Fried, “you need to stop building the watch and tell me the time. We need to know how we're going to do this. You tell me what we're going to do,” because he kept asking me “these are your options. What do you want to do?” “I don't want an option. I want to have it done.” So, got it done – that was scary.
“Stand tall and take one foot in front of the other. You can’t feel bad for yourself because it’s a part of you.”
Support System
My support system was my work team, I worked there for 30 years – I was a team member. Kathy Weibel was one of the owners. She came down to the hospital — I didn't know she did that, but she came into my room one day and said, “Ms Voss, came to see you.” It was the weirdest thing. But my work was my support, and my son was the biggest support — only because he was two. That's when I had the first one. You have suck it up — one foot in front of the other. That's all I can say. That's all you can do.
Advice
Stand tall and take one foot in front of the other. You can't feel bad for yourself because it's a part of you. And if it wouldn't have happened to me, would I be sitting here with you? No. That's all I can say. Just stand tall – do what your doctor says.
LIFE OUTLOOK
I'm better. I used to be mean to people. Like, who did I tell five dollars? I told everybody that, right? So everybody knows $5. I have that, I joke around a lot. I am more free to open my mouth to people because if I don't say it, no one will. I keep my eyes blue for a reason. I don't want to build up anything. I didn't know green had so many shapes until after the first surgery. I walked outside, and there was green everywhere — I didn't know that.
A video of Kay’s conversation with the team can be found on our Portraits Project YouTube channel here.