Hi everyone, I’m creating this GoFundMe for my friend Kate, who I’ve met since living in Florida. Kate and I had an instant connection after we met unexpectedly and started sharing the stories of our different, but in a lot of ways similar, health journeys. I have seen Kate’s impressive display of strength over and over again, and feel her story is so moving.

Kate was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune kidney disease called IgA Nephropathy when she was just 20 years old. What started as strange symptoms before a cross-country move quickly turned into months of uncertainty, endless tests, and, ultimately, a life-changing diagnosis — one she had to process largely on her own while her husband, Will, was deployed.

Over the past six years, Kate has fought this disease with everything she has. She’s endured harsh steroid treatments, chemotherapy infusions, and countless sleepless nights. She even contracted COVID-19 during treatment, which nearly cost her life. Despite losing her hair, her strength, and often her energy, she never lost her spirit because Will was standing behind her, lifting her up when she couldn't do it herself. Together as a couple, they’ve endured this chapter with incredible grace and love, even when it meant draining their savings to chase answers and hope. Kate still shows up with that same bright, bubbly personality that has always defined her. She continues working part-time from home for a nonprofit, even on her hardest days, and she always manages to find a way to make others smile.

Today, Kate’s kidney function has dropped from 98% to just 33%. Her doctors have now told her something no young woman ever wants to hear — pregnancy is no longer safe for her, and she may lose the ability to have biological children if she doesn’t act soon. The only option left to preserve her dream of becoming a mom is to freeze embryos now, before her health declines further.

Ever since I met Kate, I’ve known how badly she wants children. This is something we bonded over almost instantly because we both understand the hardships of desperately wanting a baby even though our health continually throws us curveballs. Kate lights up around children and has built her entire career around caring for others. This has been one of the most heartbreaking parts of her journey that I understand all too well, and I feel passionate about making sure Kate and Will both have the opportunity to become parents, even if it may look different for them than most. To be told that something so natural and beautiful for many is now dangerous for her is heart-wrenching, but she and Will are determined not to give up on their dream of one day holding a baby of their own.

Creating and freezing embryos is medically necessary for Will and Kate’s future, but insurance doesn’t cover the costs of fertility preservation or surrogacy. On top of years of medical bills, travel to specialists, and treatments, this is simply something they can’t afford on their own. The goal of this fundraiser is to raise $40,000 to help cover the costs of her egg retrieval surgeries, medications, and, eventually, the surrogacy process that will allow Kate and Will to safely start the family they’ve always dreamed of.

Kate has handled this illness with unimaginable strength, but behind her smile is someone who is physically and emotionally exhausted from years of fighting. She looks completely fine on the outside, but every day is a battle she faces with courage, grace, and love. If you’ve ever known someone whose light brightens every room — that’s Kate. She’s the person who celebrates others’ milestones even while fighting her own battles in silence. And Will is the kind of partner who meets that strength with his own, quietly holding everything together behind the scenes.

Kate and Will have been beside Chris and me through the hardest moments of our lives, even when they were fighting their own battles most people can't fathom fighting. Now it’s our turn to show up for them, to give back to a couple who has given so much of themselves to not only us, but to countless others.

Please consider donating, sharing, or simply sending love and prayers their way. Every bit of support brings Kate and Will one step closer to protecting their future and holding the baby they’ve always dreamed of.