2025 Lights of Love Tree Lighter Announced for Phoebe Worth
Sylvester, GA | October 24, 2025 – A lifelong smoker, Katrina Wooten knew she was at higher risk for lung cancer. Thankfully, her insurance covered annual CT scans, a precaution that ultimately saved her life.
In November 2023, one of those screenings revealed stage 2B cancer in her left lung. Within weeks, she traveled to Atlanta for surgery, then returned to Phoebe for follow-up treatment. Katrina underwent four rounds of chemotherapy, each three weeks apart, followed by a full year of immunotherapy.
Much of her treatment was completed at Phoebe Worth in Sylvester, just minutes from her home. “That meant the world to me,” Katrina said. “When you’re weak and sick, the last thing you want to do is travel. Being able to get care so close by made all the difference.”
Her care team made a lasting impression. “Phoebe has some great people working there,” she said. “The doctors, the nurses — they were wonderful. They helped me through every question and concern. I couldn’t have asked for better care. Support from family and friends also carried her through. Neighbors dropped off meals, visited when she was too weak to get out and encouraged her when she felt low. “I was lucky,” she said. “Not everyone has that kind of support system, but Phoebe has resources for people who don’t. That makes all the difference.”
Though chemotherapy left her drained for days at a time, Katrina considers herself fortunate. She never lost her hair and avoided many of the harshest side effects. By March 2025, she had completed her final round of immunotherapy and was declared cancer-free.
The journey wasn’t without setbacks, though. In March, a fall left her with a shattered leg, requiring surgery to repair the damage. “Chemo makes your bones weaker,” she explained. “I’m still recovering, but I’m grateful I can get around.”
Katrina also understands the mental side of cancer treatment. “It’s not just about chemo,” she said. “There’s depression, there’s fear. Phoebe offered mental health support, and that was so important. I went in with a positive mindset, knowing I had the right people around me. That helped me as much as the medicine.”
This was not Katrina’s first battle with cancer. Nearly 20 years ago, she faced bladder cancer, which returned several times but thankfully was treatable. “There were no symptoms with that either,” she said. “Screening saved me then, and it saved me again.” Katrina now encourages others not to avoid screenings out of fear. “Some people don’t want to know,” she said. “But knowledge is power. Screening is what saved my life.”
This year, Katrina will help light the Lights of Love tree at Phoebe Worth Medical Center on Monday, December 1 at 6:30 p.m. She is grateful to celebrate her health and to encourage others in her community to take advantage of care close to home. Please join Katrina by donating to Lights of Love today.