New Sarpy native continues to fight against cancer

James Kemp with his wife Michelle.

Time after time, James Kemp believed he crossed the finish line in the toughest battle he’s endured in his life.

And each time, it wasn’t to be – instead with many more miles once again ahead of him.

Kemp recently learned that cancer in his bladder, lung and prostate has returned once again. Kemp has undergone heavy chemotherapy, radiation and several surgeries to eliminate the illness, but the good news to this point has been fleeting.

“It just keeps coming back, every three months,” said Kemp’s wife Michelle. “That seems to be the problem. We’re about to start up treatment again … James isn’t giving up, I can tell you that.”
Following a routine trip to the doctor’s office, James Kemp learned there seemed to be something off about his blood work.

More tests were scheduled, and ultimately revealed Kemp, 55 at the time, had prostate cancer. Sadly, that was only the beginning of a surge of bad and very frightening news.

A biopsy during treatment of the prostate cancer showed that there was a spot on his bladder that, again, was found to be cancerous. He would have to get a tumor cut out and undergo chemotherapy to eliminate anything potentially left.

But again, Kemp received another difficult blow: doctors had found a spot on his lungs. Again, it was cancer.

For Kemp, who worked at Valero St. Charles and was a longtime Destrehan resident prior to relocating as result of Hurricane Ida, this information proved the worst news yet. A CT scan of his lungs revealed the cancer had already spread, and he was diagnosed with aggressive small cell lung cancer. His battle began in January of 2022, and he’s been fighting hard since.

“I was devastated. I’m still devastated,” said Kemp. “Still learning to adjust to having cancer. Keep getting rid of it, and it keeps coming back. It’s frustrating.”

The fight’s been difficult on several levels.

Kemp learned his platelet levels have dropped down to 5,000 – normal would be a level of 150,000. He called his white blood cell count borderline. It makes his immune system vulnerable, meaning being around others can pose an elevated risk for him.

Right now, the couple is hoping Kemp finds a different, viable option than more chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

“He got toxic poisoning from the chemotherapy and radiation,” Michelle said. “We don’t know how they’re going to treat the lung … they can’t do a biopsy yet. For his bladder, he’s gone through five biopsies already.”

A friend of the Kemp family since her childhood, Heather Berteau made a GoFundMe page (titled Help James Kemp and family”) to help Kemp during his battle. Kemp has been unable to work for some time.

“That’s been very hard for him. He just wants to go back to work,” Michelle said. “That’s been his goal – beat this, get strong again, get back to work. We have a physical therapist helping out … but right now, we’ve got a long way to go.

“It’s just crazy. James hasn’t had so much as a cold in his life. Then he has a blood test … and here we are.”

Financially, it’s been a significant blow.

“We had money saved … we lived on that for a year,” Michelle said. “If not for friends and the people who have helped us, I don’t know what we’d do. Everybody … my church has been good to us. They try and put gas in our car, constantly bringing us food.

“But it’s hard. You have enough income to pay rent, pay the car note, and that note itself – we wouldn’t have bought a truck if we knew this was coming.”

The husband and wife have been together since they were 16 years of age, James a New Sarpy native and Michelle of Destrehan.

“It’s brought us closer together for sure,” she said.

Though the two no longer live in St. Charles Parish, they do travel to New Orleans for treatment frequently.

“They take really good care of us at the cancer center … we’re grateful to have that place,” she said.

 

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