I would like to share my friend's journey. Cathy has been a huge part of our community and a beam of sunshine to everyone who

comes across her.

She has been a

Manager with our local Dog and Duck for 3 years. I do have to admit that Cathy shared very

little when she was diagnosed in August of 2023. She recently let a few good friends know about her illness, and we had no idea that she was fighting stage 3 cancer. Cathy walks into a room with a smile and presence that lights it up wherever she is.

Let me share with you more about Cathy, with her permission, of course. She is a mother of 3, and a Grandmother to one sweet Grandchild, with another on the way.

As I mentioned previously, she was diagnosed with cancer in August of 2023. She was stunned to be told she has oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. She was fortunate to be close to MUSC (Medical University of South Carolina) and was admitted as a patient. There, Cathy underwent 3 separate Chemo Treatments. This took a HUGE toll on her body and unfortunately forced her to miss a lot of work. Chemo was trying to kill the cancer in her body but damaging her healthy organs as well. After 3 rounds of Chemo at the Medical University of South Carolina, the hardest conversation had to be had. They were out of options and MUSC had to admit "There is nothing left we can do". 

Thankfully, she didn’t give up and reached out to The Mayo Clinic. They immediately set her up with an appointment, she left at a moment's notice because this was her opportunity to get more answers. The AMAZING news is they have a couple of options for treatment! Cathy will be heading back to Minnesota to the Mayo Clinic and undergoing surgery on December 20th.

We are hoping to raise money to help with Rent, Groceries, Medical bills, etc. Please join me in raising some financial aid for a very deserving woman who brings love and

happiness to all those around her.