Dear Family and Friends, As many of you are already aware, our family has been walking through the heartbreaking news that our sister, Katie, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. We wanted to share a little more about what lies ahead and how you can help support Katie, Matt, Will, Margaret, and our entire family during this difficult season. Life has dealt Katie more than her fair share of challenges over the years. Time and time again, she has faced them with incredible strength, resilience, and grace, always finding a way to come out stronger on the other side. Over the past several years, she has built a beautiful life with her amazing husband, Matt, and their two wonderful children, Will and Margaret. Just a few weeks ago, our entire family returned from a very special trip to Kauai celebrating our dad's 70th birthday. It was a trip that had been planned for over a year, and looking back, we feel incredibly blessed that Katie and her family were able to be there before she began chemotherapy. To say the week was special would be an understatement. While everyone understood the gravity of what was ahead, it was also a week filled with laughter, gratitude, hugs, tears, and a profound appreciation for the time we shared together. The love our family has for one another has never been more evident, and those memories will stay with us forever. While this is undoubtedly the hardest battle Katie has faced, we know she will fight it with everything she has. But this is one battle she shouldn't have to face alone. Katie's cancer was discovered during a routine mammogram. Remarkably, her mammogram just one year earlier had been completely clear - a reminder of how quickly life can change. She has been diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (ER+, PR+, HER2+), an aggressive, fast-growing form of breast cancer that is also highly treatable. Her tumor measures 7.3 cm, and she is incredibly grateful to be receiving her care through the renowned team at Fred Hutch. One of the greatest blessings amid all of this is that extensive testing has shown the cancer has not spread to her lymph nodes or bones, giving her an encouraging place to begin this fight. Her treatment plan will be a marathon, not a sprint. It begins with six rounds of chemotherapy, administered every three weeks, followed by targeted therapy that will continue for approximately one year. Once chemotherapy is complete, Katie will undergo a double mastectomy, followed by recovery, with reconstructive surgery further down the road. As with many cancer treatments, the plan may evolve depending on how she responds to chemotherapy and the results of her surgery, but this is the path in front of her today. If you're receiving this email, it's because you are someone who means so much to Katie and to our family. We have always been incredibly grateful for the community that surrounds us - a village that has shown up for one another through life's greatest joys and hardest moments. Katie loves each of you more than you'll ever know. She has always been one of the first people to show up for others in their times of need - with a meal, a listening ear, a prayer, a helping hand, or simply her presence. Now, it's our turn to show up for her. She needs our village more than ever. As Katie begins treatment, she and her family have temporarily moved into our parents' home so they can focus entirely on her recovery. The road ahead is expected to be long - likely more than a year—and it will bring emotional, physical, logistical, and financial challenges for their family. Many of you have already reached out asking how you can help. While it's never easy to ask for support, we've learned that allowing others to help is one of life's greatest gifts. That's why we've created this Give In Kind page as a central place for anyone who would like to lend a hand. Whether it's providing a meal, helping with the kids, making a donation, sending a note of encouragement, or simply reminding Katie that she's loved and being prayed for, every act of kindness matters. No gesture is too small. Every message, every meal, every prayer, and every act of generosity will help carry Katie and her family through the months ahead. Katie has overcome every challenge life has placed in front of her with courage, resilience, and unwavering determination. We have every confidence she'll approach this battle the same way. With God's grace, the expertise of her incredible medical team, and the love of this amazing community surrounding her, we know she won't face the road ahead alone. Thank you for loving our sister so well and for standing beside our family during this incredibly difficult season. With love, Brad (Amanda) David (Ashley) Will (Bjorn) P.S. We know it's nearly impossible to capture everyone whose life has been touched by Katie. If there's someone you believe would want to know about her diagnosis or would appreciate the opportunity to support her and her family, we'd be grateful if you would forward this email along. Thank you for helping us surround Katie with as much love as possible.
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