LS: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your story that got you to where you are now?
KAT: I was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic system) in 2016 at the age of 21. This news rocked me to the core, but what I didn't know then was that that day was the foundation and beginning of who I have become today. I tried a little bit of chemotherapy but knew in my heart I needed to stop and to try to heal my body naturally with an organic, plant-based diet and mind, body, spirit techniques. My love for healthy living began at this point in my life.
Unfortunately for me, I had to result back to chemotherapy at the beginning of 2018. And before starting on the treatment, I had to get a major leg operation to put a metal rod down my thigh, which was extremely painful!
Going through intense chemo throughout half of 2018 was an extremely challenging time for me. I was so sick, and I lost all my strength, energy, hair and confidence while trying to learn to walk again. Chemo strips everything good in your body, so it felt as though I had to start from scratch again. And it was HARD. But I was persistent and continued to push through my struggles with baby steps and eventually began to feel like a "new me."
Unfortunately, that chemo didn't work for me, and the treatment after was also a fail. I'm currently on a different treatment now called immunotherapy and will be for two years but thankfully for me, this treatment I'm currently on is working, and it doesn't affect any of my good cells, so I feel completely well! I have had A LOT of scares and too many setbacks throughout this journey, but at the same time, I have done a lot of inner work on myself that has built up so much strength inside me. I have a super positive mindset and an immense amount of gratitude that I am genuinely a happy soul.