Help Kate Heal: A 50th Birthday Wish for Wellness

Dear friends,

I am turning 50 in less than a week! Half a century of breath, beauty, and becoming.

So I’m choosing to be brave and ask for the one thing I want most: the chance to truly heal this body of mine—so I can keep living, creating, and loving for many years to come.

A unique opportunity has opened up to make this dream a reality, and I felt in my heart that my birthday was the time to share it with all the amazing, supportive people I’ve been blessed to meet over the years.

I’ve had so many extraordinary adventures—touring the world for 14 years, releasing six albums and writing two books that many have said helped them through dark times… making music with homeless communities, foster kids, and refugee families who became like family… starting a thriving music lessons business that fills my heart every day and has brought free lessons and instruments to multiple sponsorship students… finding my soul family when I got married exactly four years ago… and now I'm in the first stages of becoming the CEO of business that would gamify charitable giving. Every business coach I’ve spoken with believes it could raise thousands—if not hundreds of thousands—for nonprofits.

But woven through all that joy has been a very difficult battle with chronic illness.

I contracted Lyme disease 23 years ago, and since then, according to doctors, the list has grown: Long COVID, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, thyroid dysfunction, and a struggling liver. Most of these either stem from, or are made worse by, the Lyme.

Here’s a quick tour through the difficult terrain my body’s traveled:

– I had to have part of my finger amputated because of gangrene from a mysterious rotting bone which I later realized was a complication from Lyme.

– I’ve battled arthritis, autoimmune flares, sores inside of my mouth and on my face, and painful boils that have shown up somewhere on my body over and over again for decades.

– I haven’t slept without heavy meds in 20 years—and often, not even then. (I can’t even sleep in the same bed as my sweet husband because of chronic insomnia.)

– I wake up nearly every morning sick—glands swollen, a mouth that feels like it’s on fire, and utterly exhausted. This used to only last until about noon, now most days I struggle with these symptoms all day long.

-I have chronic respiratory problems and coughing fits that are added to this mix. (Not great for a singer songwriter and voice teacher!)

– I’ve broken a leg with a surgery that had a complication with the nerve block that caused a month of labor-like of pain, worsening my immune system even further.

– I evacuated from hurricane Helene with my family, only to land in 5 urgent cares and ERs in the space of ten days with a dangerous purple rash called cellulitis, (immediately after the scariest days of my life).

Sadly, in the last two months things seem to be going downhill. I’ve missed work, performances, speaking engagements, and countless social gatherings—which has been so hard on my extrovert, creativity thriving, butterfly soul.

I’ve spent thousands on doctors and supplements with little lasting relief—aside from one season of healing 15 years ago that gave me two or three good years before new symptoms took over.

I’m not sharing all this for sympathy. I’m sharing it because I’m ready for a turning point—and I’ve found someone who might help me get there.

I just discovered a functional medicine doctor in my town who’s treated Lyme and complex conditions like mine for 30 years. He is a Lyme expert that has been on dozens of podcasts and written a book on how to cure this tricky disease. He’s developed a 500-marker diagnostic system that gets to the root of chronic illness that will help him pinpoint what's wrong to inform us of next steps.

His first guarantee: if I’m not satisfied with his diagnosis after testing, I don’t have to pay for anything he's done so far. His second: if I’m not better in six months, he’ll treat me for free until I am. That’s a pretty spectacular and hope filled guarantee!

I have looked into it, and every patient who has shared a written or video testimonial—whether on his website or elsewhere—says the same thing: they experienced significant improvement within 3 to 6 months, whether they came in with Lyme, lupus, or another serious chronic condition.

The only catch? He can’t take insurance. The cost for six months of care is $7,500. (This is really not a bad price for a functional doctor that is also a specialist.) It's about $300-$500 a month for supplements, and extra costs for a very clean, all organic diet.

It’s a big ask. But it’s also a big hope.

Sitting beside the waterfall near my house this week, praying in somewhat desperation over what to do next, I realized: this is what I want for my 50th.

Not things. Not a trip. Just the chance to feel well again—and to have thriving days ahead where I can do the work I’m called to do, and love and serve with the full capacity I believe I was created for.

If you feel moved to help with this cost—whether it’s a small donation, a larger donation, sharing on social media, a wish, or a prayer—I’ll receive it with deep gratitude. Even dropping me a word of encouragement means the world to me.

You can give through:
Venmo: @kate-hurley-2
or can ask me for my paypal or zelle.

Or you can also give through this platform and/or share with your social media contacts if you would like.

Thank you for walking with me, cheering for me, and loving me across all these years.

Here’s to the beautiful life ahead.

With love,

Kate