Bringing Hope Home Family Spotlight: Katie
Katie became part of the Bringing Hope Home Family in late 2024, during her battle with breast cancer. Hear Katie’s story about her cancer journey, and experience being supported by Hope Nation in her own words below.
“I felt a lump in my left breast in March 2023. After conferencing with my OBGyn, I scheduled a mammogram. This was the catalyst for more testing: multiple ultrasounds, an MRI, several more mammograms, and then biopsies. The biopsies revealed that I have two tumors in my left breast: one is Her2Positive; the other is Triple Negative. The cancers are stage 1 and 2, and my doctors are hopeful that treatment will be effective in eradicating them. The complicated element of my diagnosis is that typically, individuals do not have different cancers. When that is the case, the treatment plan is not as well defined. Fortunately, the doctors I first visited with at Phoenixville Hospital Tower Health conferenced with the doctors from whom I elicited a second opinion at Fox Chase Cancer Center. My case was presented to both tumor boards, and they agreed that should receive TCHP treatment. I’m about to receive my fourth of six treatments of chemotherapy which will be followed by a bilateral mastectomy, reconstructive surgery, and several more months of targeted therapy.
Despite initially feeling waves of disbelief, anger, confusion, and overwhelm, I knew that my attitude would define the journey my family and I would continue to experience. I have three children, ages 7, 5, and 3, all who blew out birthday candles this year while I was hospitalized for a test, surgery, or treatment. As an avid reader and writer, daughter of teachers, former English major, and believer in truth, I decided to be as honest as possible. In mid-September, my husband, children, and I ate ice cream sundaes, talked about our day, and named the cause of my endless summer of appointments: cancer.
I believe that when you name something, you reduce its power over you. We repeated the word cancer many times over the coming weeks asking questions like: “Why did you get cancer? What will cancer do to your body? Will I get cancer too?” Many of these questions took my breath away; I was grappling with my physical and emotional frustrations as my children experienced fears of their own.
Honest conversations with the kids, support from family and friends, and books that offered reality and truth helped to facilitate discussions and give the kids and I confidence. This was not a path anyone would choose, but many people had walked it before, and we would walk bravely too.”
Katie was recommended to Bringing Hope Home by the social worker at her hospital. BHH helped relieve financial burden by paying cell phone and cable bills, and provided gift cards for groceries.
“Bringing Hope Home has made me feel: relieved, grateful, and inspired. We are a family of five on one income. While my husband does have a solid job, the financial burden imposed by cancer is great. In addition to groceries, cell phones, and every other bill, we were suddenly faced with tests costing $500 or more, surgeries, and dozens of office visits ($70 to see a specialist with our insurance). I was devastated by the diagnosis, overwhelmed by the amount of information I had to process, frustrated by insurance hurdles, and shocked by the bills. BHH has paid bills for us, allowing us to allot our funds elsewhere. We can pay down the hospital bills because we don’t have to pay the bills BHH has generously taken care of. The relief I feel is tremendous.”
Bringing Hope Home also supported Katie’s Family for the holidays by providing gift cards for each member of their household. Katie was so grateful to be able to provide a special Christmas for her three young children.
“The generous gift from the BHH donors alleviated a great burden from the shoulders of my husband and me this holiday season. The thought of creating Christmas magic in the midst of paying enormous hospital bills was frightening. We didn’t want to disappoint the kids, but we also didn’t want to ignore our budget. As a one-income family, my husband works and travels a great deal, while I stay home with and teach the kids. We entertained the idea of part-time work, impossible during weeks of chemotherapy, not participating in a family Pollyanna for the kids and their cousins, and limiting the kids to only a gift or two. BHH’s gift, along with purchasing wisely, went far this year. The kids were thrilled with the necessities they received and were even more excited by the unexpected gifts. This mama’s heart was filled by your generosity in creating the magic I simply could not this year.”
The impact support from Bringing Hope Home has made for Katie’s Family resounds through her kind words of gratitude and relief above. Thank you Hope Nation for your contributions to allow us the means to help wonderful Families like Katie’s!