After rare cancer, former sports journalist is surviving fabulously in Napa and dating. Or trying

This is an opinion column.

National Cancer Survivors Day was celebrated on Sunday, June 7, and while this look at my friend’s journey is a day late, her story of overcoming one of the rarest forms of cancer and continuing to live fabulously is well worth the wait.

Kelly E. Carter has always stood tall. A pioneering female sports journalist at a towering 6 feet, she spent her career navigating the same locker rooms and press boxes as her male counterparts, helping to clear the path for future generations of women in the industry alongside trailblazers like Melissa Ludtke, Jane Gross, Claire Smith, Lisa Olsen, and Lesley Visser.

After a career covering major sports—including a stint as a sideline reporter for CNN/SI and co-authoring a New York Times bestseller with Venus Williams—Carter transitioned into the worlds of travel and wine. She currently resides in Yountville, California, and operates Napa Valley Noir, a luxury travel service. During a recent reunion for my 70th birthday, she dropped a startling piece of news: she had been diagnosed with an incredibly rare cancer.

A Rare Diagnosis

Her battle began in early 2022 during a routine medical exam when a doctor noticed an irregularity on the roof of her mouth. Eventually, tests confirmed she had adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare condition impacting fewer than 4.5 in every 1 million people. Carter, ever the optimist, noted the irony: "So much for me being one in a million."

The treatment plan was grueling, involving surgery to remove parts of her jaw and palate, followed by 30 rounds of radiation. Throughout the process, she maintained a journalist’s focus, recording appointments and meticulously researching every term her doctors used to regain a sense of control.

Thriving Beyond the Defect

Today, Carter remains a vibrant force in Napa, though she navigates life with an obturator to support her palate. She is vocal about her disdain for the term "defect" often used by the medical community, preferring to see herself as simply different. While she has returned to her fabulous lifestyle, she admits that dating remains a complicated hurdle.

Carter is candid about the difficulty of navigating the dating scene as a cancer survivor. She has found that support groups often overlook the anxieties of single survivors, leaving her to figure out how and when to disclose her health history to potential partners. Despite these challenges, her advice remains steadfast: don't let a diagnosis dictate your life, and never stop pursuing your own version of a fabulous existence.

Note: If you have a survival story you would like to share, please contact me at rjohnson@al.com. Following my own prostate cancer diagnosis, I have become an active advocate with the Mike Slive Prostate Cancer Foundation and NowIncluded. You can support these missions or follow my ongoing Cancer Chronicles here.