Kate was diagnosed with Glioblastoma in May of this year, after being taken to the hospital with headaches and vomiting. She has since had brain surgery, and extensive chemo and radiation treatments. She’s pushed through this life altering diagnosis, all the appointments, procedures, and treatments with a smile on her face. With as scary as this was for all of her family, I can’t even imagine how scary it was for her. And yet, she spends her time making sure everyone else is doing okay, and raising funds not for her own extensive medical bills, but for the cause itself, to help everyone. She keeps on a brave, happy, face like the fighter that she is through all of it. Although it may be the scariest, its just one chapter of her amazing story. In her 44 years Kate has been a daughter, wife, mother of 3, sister, aunt, cousin, friend. She’s been a volleyball coach, teacher, realtor, business owner, landlord, mentor, world traveler, and most recently a doctoral student. With such a full plate, you might think she never had anything left to give, but somehow, that has never been true. She is so kind, the most generous person I know, and would do anything for anyone. Every single person who meets her, instantly falls in love with her, and I think that is proven by the amazing support so many have shown her during this fight. In my younger years she introduced me to my love of Shania Twain, spent hours upon hours teaching me to overhand serve a volleyball, did my make up for all my school dances, taught me how to skip in the middle of a store, always let me permanently “borrow” any of her clothes or shoes I fell in love with, got me addicted to reading, bought me toy snakes to chase her around with, gave me my very first puppy, and made me the worst grilled cheese sandwiches in the history of grilled cheese sandwiches! As I’ve gotten older she has been the inspiration behind me continuing my education, she’s taught me the incredible importance of self-care, and regularly reminds me that we only get to live this life once so we need to take the time to enjoy it! I can’t wait to be right by her side celebrating with her as she continues to write chapter after chapter in this beautiful, long, story. She has been such a huge part in turning me into the woman I am, and I don’t know what I would’ve done without her. I have been so blessed to call Kate, my Aunt.