Karen was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in February 2019. She had experienced a gallbladder attack and then had a CT scan that uncovered an ovarian tumor. 

In February 2020, Karen joined a new clinical trial for a new type of drug known as a bispecific antibody. The drug works by binding to two specific proteins that may be involved in the growth and survival of cancer. 

Her doctor, Ursula Matulonis and other doctors at Dana-Farber worked hard to keep clinical trials like Karen's open during the pandemic when many other aspects of health care system were shutting down