A Message To Breast Cancer Warrior Kate Burns

In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we asked Patch readers to share their breast cancer journeys on Patch. This is Kate Burns' story, told by her dear friend Rochelle Leonard:

Kate Burns, our beautiful, fiery, red-headed soul sister, has overcome many things in her 37 years of life. She’s traveled for her beloved work, enabling her to make networks all over the world who have become family to her. She has supported her vast community of friends in good times and in bad, and after separating from her lifelong partner, she moved to LA to follow her dream of starting a new life and owning her own company/empire.

Before moving from Australia, Kate sold most of her worldly possessions to raise money for a close friend suffering from breast cancer, so that she could achieve some of her bucket list wishes. This is a true reflection of Kate’s compassion and endless generosity.

Now after living abroad for 12 months, Kate has received the most devastating news after finding a lump in her breast. Initially graded as a category 1 breast tumor, it has now within four weeks escalated to a category 2-3 tumor.

What does this mean for Kate? It means immediate treatment with chemotherapy in the USA to reduce the size of the aggressive tumor, before it can be removed from her breast tissue. For the next six months, she must avoid crowds, anyone sick — basically stay inside her home. Side effects from treatment will include hair loss, vomiting, nausea, exhaustion and bruising. In her words, “It ain't going to be pretty guys, but I’m gonna be fine.”

For these reasons Kate will not be able to work her business, nor travel home to Australia. Her devoted mum has tentatively left her full-time work and moved to the USA to care for Kate.

What Kate needs is the help from all the people whose lives she has touched. Whether this is with her generosity, her one-of-a-kind laugh, her black or white sense of humor, her love of music or that mass of fiery red hair, this is our time to give to her not only our love, but our financial support so that she can continue to live in the United States and pay her medical bills, rent, alternative health therapies for healing. Whatever it may be that she will need to get through the next 12 months.

We thank you in advance for any donation you can afford – when our Kate conquers cancer (which she will!), the “Red Queen” will rise back to her glory, like a phoenix from the ashes, as we have joked, and she will once again bring her unique laugh and loving generosity to all.

Please follow Kate on Instagram so that you can keep up to date with all of our fund raising efforts.

—Rochelle Leonard

See more stories from other breast cancer survivors, fighters and supporters, here.

To learn more about breast cancer or how you can help, please visit The National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Image Credit: Rochelle Leonard