A Journey of Resilience: Catherine Ulloa’s Battle with Breast Cancer – Kaiser Permanente

Just before Halloween in 2023, Catherine Ulloa began experiencing chest pain. Initially brushing it off, the pain worsened, prompting her to seek medical care. A mammogram and ultrasound revealed something concerning. “The technician’s face changed, and I just knew something wasn’t right,” she recalled. A biopsy confirmed her worst fear: breast cancer. “The diagnosis hit me like a wave,” she said. “But I knew I had to fight, not just for myself, but for my family.”

Catherine began chemotherapy in November. The side effects were brutal. “I felt like I was drowning in nausea and fatigue,” she shared. Her husband, children, and medical team became her lifeline. “My daughter became my rock,” she said. “She reminded me I wasn’t alone.”

Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women in the U.S. Black women have the highest death rate, and Hispanic women, like Catherine, face later-stage diagnoses and limited access to care. These disparities highlight the importance of early detection and support-values central to Catherine’s journey.

She received treatment at the Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center, where she found more than care—she found compassion. “My oncologist Dr. Helen Kang and her nurses didn’t just treat me, they cared for me,” she said. A chemo port infection in January paused her treatment, but her care team helped her recover and continue.

Now cancer free and determined to give back, Catherine joined Kaiser Permanente’s Woodland Hills Medical Center in 2025 as an admitting clerk. “The care I received changed my life. I wanted to be that support for someone else.” She now helps patients navigate their care with empathy and shares her story with those battling breast cancer. “I hand out ribbon pins as a symbol of strength,” she said. “Cancer tried to take everything, but it gave me purpose. I’m here to help others find their strength, just like I found mine.”

At Kaiser Permanente, an experienced team of cancer specialists work together to care for all that is you. Learn more at kp.org/cancercare.

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