Support Kate's Journey to Recovery

As close friends of the Jones family, we have set up this GoFundMe campaign to support them during these challenging times.

Kate is courageously working on her recovery, and Nathan is by her side every day, focusing on her care while working minimally. In the near future, Kate will transition to a Long Term Acute Care Hospital and, likely, an inpatient rehab facility before continuing her recovery at home. Nathan anticipates that her recovery could take up to a year, and they are preparing for the journey ahead.

Kate's ultimate goal is to sail again. For the past five years, she and her husband, Nathan, along with their beloved crew member Sonny, have spent as much time as possible ocean sailing. She dreams of taking family and friends out on the water once she has fully recovered. Kate has demonstrated unbelievable resilience, fighting against some of the toughest infections and challenges imaginable. Her strength and determination are inspiring, and she is proving to her doctors that she is a formidable fighter.

The funds raised through this campaign will go toward essential needs, including medical expenses, continuous travel, and other unforeseen costs that will arise during this extended recovery process.

We are incredibly grateful for any support you can provide to help Kate through the hardest time in her life. Please share this campaign with your family, friends, and networks to spread the word and show your support for the Jones family.

To respect their privacy and allow Nathan to focus on Kate’s recovery, we request that any questions regarding Kate's health status be directed to Nathan's father, Alan Jones, or Kate's mother, Lucy Halavin. Nathan will be posting updates on Kate’s and his Facebook pages throughout this journey. If you wish to send cards directly, please contact Alan or Lucy for the address.

Thank you for standing with Kate and Nathan during this difficult time. Your generosity and kindness mean the world to them.

Here is a message from Nathan, Kate's husband.

Dear Friends and Family,

I wanted to take a moment to update you all on Kate’s health. While some of our close family and friends have been aware of what’s been happening, I feel it’s time to share with everyone who loves Kate.

Over the last month, we have faced some incredibly challenging times. On August 5th, 2024, Kate was hospitalized due to a serious infection—staphylococcus aureus—that she contracted through a wound on the tip of her finger. This infection was so aggressive that it necessitated an amputation to prevent its spread.

After a week of intensive treatment, Kate was on the road to recovery, and we were in the process of planning her discharge. Unfortunately, just as we were beginning to feel hopeful, Kate became critically ill again.

She developed pneumonia, leading to several significant complications, including intubation and a coma. As a result of this severe illness, Kate has suffered a serious brain injury, specifically involving symmetric restricted diffusion in the cerebral cortex. This type of injury is often linked to hypoxic-ischemic events, where the brain does not receive enough oxygen.

Kate has since awoken from the coma, but remains intubated. Her eyes are open, and she is able to acknowledge us, but has not yet regained full physical function.

The last week of August was long with small steps, but we've seen some tremendous progress and giant leaps over the last two days.

On September 1st, when I greeted Kate in the hospital, her face was bright, and she was very alert, more than we've seen before.

Her face is really starting to show her personality. She is still intubated, but she's now interacting with everyone and following commands. Even more encouraging, she's beginning to regain muscle control—she's starting to move her fingers and can hold her head up on her own. She is extremely weak and will need to relearn how to walk and do daily tasks through therapy.

I can't express the joy we felt seeing these signs of progress. The neurologist came in for an assessment and shared hopeful news; he believes Kate should regain most of her functions in time.

We know it will be a long road to recovery, but we're taking it one step at a time. The next step is to move forward with a tracheostomy, which may happen over the first few days of September.

The end of week 4 in the hospital is now official and we are working on planning for the next step in recovery. Once it's safe, we'll transfer her to a long-term acute care hospital.

Once her lungs are strong enough, the next step will be a tracheostomy and transitioning her off the ventilator.

Right now, Kate is still in the acute phase of healing, taking each day one step at a time. We are facing a long road ahead, filled with both uncertainty and hope. Each day brings its own challenges, but also small steps forward.

We are deeply grateful for the incredible medical team who are tirelessly working to support Kate’s recovery.

We humbly ask for your continued prayers, positive thoughts, and support during this difficult time. Kate is showing us that she is truly a fighter, and with your love and encouragement, we have faith that she can make it through this challenging journey.

Please keep her in your thoughts, and we will do our best to keep you updated on her progress through here and Facebook.

Your love and prayers mean more to us than words can express.

Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your unwavering and continued support and prayers.

Every bit of encouragement helps us get through this challenging time.

With gratitude and hope,

Nathan & Kate

To stay current on Kate's progress, follow her on her FB page at: https://www.facebook.com/kate.h.jones.5