Katie's Medical Fund

This GoFundMe was created by friends of Katie Gaisor, to help take the worry off of all her medical costs and allow her to focus on kicking cancer's butt! The campaign went live the evening of 10/29/17.

A friend who wishes to remain anonymous shared this sentiment about Katie:

Often times when we hear that someone has cancer, we hear something along the lines of “cancer definitely picked the wrong person.” The thing about cancer, though, is that it doesn’t pick. It doesn’t choose. It doesn’t discriminate. Cancer is ugly. Infection, radiation, chemotherapy, and isolation are all ugly words Katie hears on a daily basis. The ugly truth is that Katie has a long road ahead. Cancer is ugly, but our Katie G. has never let cancer put a damper on her beauty.

I am not a member of Katie’s family, nor am I her closest friend. In an odd way, the particular friendship I have with Katie has allowed me to view her life more objectively.

These were the thoughts I had before I visited Katie this fall.

While sitting at her family’s dinner table, I felt like part of her family. Her mother’s kindness radiates through the household, showcased in her care for Katie’s grandmother (who lives with Katie’s family), her husband, and her children. Katie’s dad is witty and charming; he is the kind of guy you want to be next to while waiting in a line or sitting on the subway. Katie’s sister is spunky and looks at Katie with big, beautiful, proud-sister eyes. Katie’s brother is a perfect complement to Katie in more ways than one; he is not only her twin, but also her bone marrow donor. Katie’s home is warm and welcoming. Had I known Katie when we were little kids, I definitely would have picked her house as my favorite for a playdate.

Viewing Katie’s life “objectively” seems ridiculous now. Katie Gasior is a beautiful soul. I foolishly didn’t realize just how far her beauty could reach until I met her family and saw an outpouring of love from friends. As a friend of Katie’s with a newfound appreciation for the impact she makes on the hearts and minds of others, I have worked with peers to create this GoFundMe to support Katie when she and her family need it most.

Sincerely,
A friend

Katie is currently undergoing an intense conditioning regiment that will clear her bone marrow out to make room for her brother's cells to engraft. This includes total body irradiation followed by very high doses of chemotherapy. After she receives her transplant (this week!), she will remain in the hospital for several weeks to recover under close watch of her nurses and doctors.

During this time, she will be incredibly vulnerable to infection, so her visitors will mostly be limited to family members. For 100 days post transplant, she will be immunosuppresed in order to prevent complications that are common after receiving donor stem cells.

Katie’s particular type(s) of cancer(s) CML/AML, requires lengthy, expensive treatments and hospital stays that include chemotherapy, radiation, and her stem cell transplant. On top of all that there will be other expenses for her oral chemotherapy drugs, outpatient doctor visits, blood products, medical trial testing, and cleaning to sterilize her home so that it’s safe, and more.