Help Kathy Hart Fight Tonsil Cancer
If you’ve ever met Kathy Hart, you know one thing immediately: she’s the kind of person who can turn any moment into laughter.
At 68 years old, Kathy is a mother of three, a natural people-person, and someone who can turn complete strangers into friends within minutes. Whether it’s her quick wit, her warmth, or her ability to make anyone laugh, she leaves an impression everywhere she goes. Even now, through this journey, nurses and doctors continue to comment on her humor and spirit.
She loves the beach and makes a point of walking along the ocean as often as she can. Over the past five years, she has built her own Poshmark business, and before that, she spent years working as an Uber and Lyft driver.
Her Diagnosis
At the start of 2026, Kathy went to the doctor for what seemed like a persistent sore throat. After two rounds of antibiotics didn’t resolve the issue, doctors ordered a CT scan on March 4th.
That scan revealed a 4cm tumor in her left tonsil, suspicious for oropharyngeal cancer.
On March 10th, she underwent a PET scan, and we are incredibly grateful to share that the cancer has not spread elsewhere.
Her Treatment Plan
Kathy is now under the care of an amazing team at Scripps, who have moved quickly to begin treatment.
Starting April 8th, she will undergo:
- Radiation therapy 5 days a week for 7 weeks
- Chemotherapy once a week to increase effectiveness
Due to the size and location of the tumor, surgery is not an option. However, this type of treatment for her cancer has been shown to be over 90% effective, giving us so much hope.
Because the cancer is located in her throat, eating and swallowing will likely become very difficult during treatment. Doctors will be closely monitoring her nutrition and weight, and there is a possibility she may need a temporary feeding tube if maintaining nutrition becomes too challenging.
⚠️ Why We Need Help
During this time, Kathy will not be able to run her Poshmark business due to the physical toll of treatment, especially fatigue.
While her monthly expenses are modest, they will quickly add up alongside the additional costs that come with treatment.
Funds raised will go toward:
- Essential living expenses
- Groceries and nutritional support
- Transportation to and from treatment
- Medical-related supplies (including skin care for radiation burns)
- General support to help her focus fully on healing
Kathy currently receives some assistance through food programs and is exploring additional local resources, but there is still a significant gap.
How You Can Help
So many people have already reached out asking how they can support Kathy, and this GoFundMe is the best way to do that.
If you’re able to donate, no amount is too small; it truly makes a difference.
If you’re not in a position to give, sharing this page with others means just as much <3