‘My greatest fear is not the illness itself, but the thought of not having enough time with my children – not being there to guide them, support them, and watch them grow into who they are meant to be.’
Fourways, South Africa (25 March 2026) – A mother of four and a woman whose heart, by all accounts, is made of gold, is fighting for her life. The people who love her – and strangers who don’t even know her – are fighting right alongside her.
In October last year, Kate was diagnosed with stage 4 liver and colon cancer.
“Since then, life has become a constant balance between fighting for my health and trying to hold my family together.” Kate shares.
Family is everything. Kate’s purpose is to create a safe and loving home for her four children. One that she has kept on fighting for, even through a life-altering battle with cancer.
“I am a mom to two incredible children and a proud stepmom to two more. Our home is filled with love, laughter, and the beautiful chaos of raising four kids together. Every day, my purpose has been simple, to give them a safe, happy, and stable life, and to be there for every moment that matters.”
Through all the fear, the fatigue, and the fog of uncertainty that the illness has cast upon her, Kate has just kept going.
“I have undergone six cycles of chemotherapy, and through it all, I have continued working whenever I can. Becoming a single income household with four children is not an option so there simply isn’t room to stop… even on the days when getting out of bed feels impossible.”
The fight got even harder recently, when the chemotherapy stopped working, and her oncologist shared the difficult news that time may be more limited than anyone had imagined.
“As a mother, there are no words for what that feels like. My greatest fear is not the illness itself, but the thought of not having enough time with my children – not being there to guide them, support them, and watch them grow into who they are meant to be.”
Hope shows up in glimmers, and Kate has caught one of her own.
Her oncologist is applying for approval for a HER2 blocker treatment that could give her more time.
“But there are no guarantees. Medical aid may not approve it, and even if they do, the co-payments are far beyond what we can afford.”
Sadly, financial burden often stands between families navigating illness and the path forward. We see it often. We also see that when fighters have the courage to reach out and ask for help, they rally armies of compassion.
“Asking for help is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. But I am holding onto hope and doing everything I can to keep fighting, not just for myself, but for my family, and for the life we have built together.” she writes.
Kate has turned to online crowdfunding, asking others to hold onto this glimmer with her.
“Through this BackaBuddy campaign, I am hoping to raise funds to help cover medical expenses and shortfalls, to access this potential treatment if it is approved, and to support my family during this incredibly uncertain time.”
The campaign, which has a goal of R500,000, has already seen 82 donors come forward, raising over R123,000 in just two days. That’s the full cost of one blocker treatment covered already. Helpers are showing up, but more support is still needed to give Kate more time with her family and to face the uncertainty that cancer brings.
“More than anything, your support would give me the gift of time – time to focus on my health, and time to truly be present with the people I love most.”
The right person seeing a story at the right moment is what changes everything. If you would like to support Kate and her family, follow this link.
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