My dear friend Katie Oakley was diagnosed with Stage 1B (caught it early, so VERY GOOD!), Grade 3 (fast moving, so VERY BAD!) breast cancer in April, 2021. If you have ever met Katie, you know that she is one of the most amazing people on the planet. She is kind, considerate, enthusiastic, and an absolute joy to be around as her huge circle of friends would all attest! If you haven't met her, I'm truly sorry, because you are missing out on knowing an amazing woman!

Katie has a beautiful and loving family with her wife Michelle, two adorable young children, Adrianna and Jack, along with an amazing sister, mom and mother-in-law who surround her with love and support.

Katie's treatment journey began in earnest in May, after a brief and frustrating fight with insurance, with 12 weeks if chemotherapy. Chemo will be followed with a double mastectomy in mid-September, and possible radiation therapy post surgery.

Katie is young, she is feisty, and she has maintained the most positive attitude throughout this journey. She has every right to wallow in the stress , the fear, the aches, pains and nausea brought on by the chemo, but she is not a wallow-er. She tackles this journey as she does every other journey in her life...with a positive attitude and lots of humor! She continues to work, spend time with friends, and golf as much as possible, in other words, live her life as normal whenever possible! She does not let her breast cancer define her!

But now the stress has begun to build even more as medical bills start rolling in and mounting. They will continue to roll in and grow as her journey continues. She has a hard time asking for help, as many do, but no one deserves help more than she and her family! Katie and the entire Oakley family would appreciate any and all assistance people are willing and able to provide, and in my opinion, no one deserves it more! Every single penny raised will go toward medical bills related to Katie's breast cancer treatment.

You can learn more about Katie's journey on her blog: https://thesaltofachef.wordpress.com/

Please share this far and wide, even of you are unable to donate at the moment. Every share helps! Thank you! <3 <3 <3