Hi, my name is Katie and I am fundraising for my friend and coworker Kate Becker. Let’s come together and help Kate have a fighting change against this cancer.

Here is a message from my friend Kate.

In 2018, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. I had 2 surgeries, both consisted of partial glossectomy of the right side, partial neck dissection x 2. 1 surgery consisted of reconstruction from wrist flap. It was a horrible 10hr surgery, 1 night in ICU, 6 on Oncology floor. And a long road to recovery. Recovery included tongue, neck, wrist, and thigh (graft). 30 rounds of radiation and 2 chemo sessions.

Currently, I was re-diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue again. They believe it is not a reoccurrence but a new cancer. I can’t have anymore radiation and chemo and immunotherapy is not an option unless I don’t want surgery. And due to my cancer, chemoimmunotherapy is not a curative therapy, it would be palliative care. So I am left with doing another 10hr reconstructive surgery at UCD, 7 day admission. I have always said that I would NEVER go through that surgery again. But I’m not ready to go on palliative care. Also, my ENT surgeon said it’s near the bone in my jaw and if the CT shows density, he’ll shave some off and test for cancer. If it is cancer, we’ll do chemo for that.