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For Katy Beard, hospital visits were a rarity until six years ago when she had open heart surgery and a quintuple bypass. That was followed by two bouts with cancer. Today, the 68-year-old Lawrence resident's cancer is in remission. "Or it was the last time we checked," Katy said.

Photo by Bill Snead

When Katy Beard participated in Lawrence Memorial's writing workshop, "Your Life is Your Life," she said one of the benefits was being able to talk with others about cancer.

Photo by Bill Snead

Hats have been a favorite thing in Katy Beard's life for a long time. "Back in the day ... we used to wear them all the time and when you got your first hat with a veil you were considered to be a woman of the world," Beard said.

Photo by Bill Snead

After spending time outside walking around the track with others last spring for Lawrence's Relay for Life fundraiser, Katy Beard chats with a friend in the Free State High School gymnasium at 6 a.m. Katy has survived breast and colon cancer along with open heart surgery.

Photo by Bill Snead

Katy Beard in her Lawrence apartment.

Photo by Bill Snead

When Katy Beard, center, was still doing chemotherapy for her cancer when she returned to work as a bartender at Stu's Midtown Tavern in the Hillcrest Shopping Center at Ninth and Iowa streets. Katy, 68, still works there part-time. Customers, left to right, like Caesar Dubois, Larry Kennedy and Ron Ousdahl enjoy chatting with the amicable bartender.

Photo by Bill Snead

Katy Beard fills a mug with beer at her part-time job at Stu's Midtown Tavern, 925 Iowa. Beard, 68, wrote about her bouts with cancer at a writing workshop at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Photo by Bill Snead

Katy Beard works part-time day shifts at Stu's. She says her customers are like family.

Photo by Bill Snead

Katy Beard works part-time day shifts at Stu's. She says her customers are like family.

Photo by Bill Snead

Katy Beard works part-time day shifts at Stu's. She says her customers are like family.

Photo by Bill Snead

Katy Beard works part-time day shifts at Stu's. She says her customers are like family.

Photo by Bill Snead

Katy Beard.

Photo by Bill Snead

Katy Beard, 68, has survived open heart surgery and breast cancer and colon cancer.

Photo by Bill Snead

Two days a week Katy Beard tends bar at Stu's Midtown Tavern, 925 Iowa. These days she's not doing it between trips to the hospital for chemotherapy.

Photo by Bill Snead

For Katy Beard, hospital visits were a rarity until six years ago when she had open heart surgery and a quintuple bypass, which was followed by two bouts with cancer.

Photo by Bill Snead

Katy Beard no longer needs glasses after recently undergoing cataract surgery.

Photo by Bill Snead