Ladera Ranch Girl Epitomizes ‘Reason for Season’ w/ her Charity

The following was written by Katie’s amazing Mom, Mary Kay Hawley, of Ladera Ranch:

“Katie was diagnosed at the age of nine with neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer. Obviously our family was devastated as we attempted to navigate this horrific disease.

Early on in her battle, Katie received a sweet gift of fuzzy, cozy fun slippers. When the doctors and nurses came in to check on her, they always made a fuss over how cute they were.

Our local community through caringbridge heard of Katie’s reaction to the positive attention and she received more; leopard designs, rainbow unicorns and frog slippers. It became a fun routine to change them daily and wait for the responses of the cancer ward’s staff.

As she and I discussed ways to give back, she suggested slippers, letting me know how they brightened up her day and hoped it would do the same for other children. My oldest daughter Melanie sat with us brainstorming a fun name came up with S.O.S. Stuff Our Slippers.

Melanie invited a half a dozen friends over for Bunko and asked everyone to bring slippers. The girls made flyers for school and on numerous birthdays requested no gifts, but instead to donate to S.O.S.

This simple gift of paying it forward made a huge difference in my family and my young daughter’s life. Heading up for scans every three months was scary - especially for a nine year old. So passing out these presents to sick children took her mind off herself and onto others.

One afternoon while enduring out patient chemotherapy we passed out a half a dozen pairs. With one light up Dora the Explorer colorful slippers left, we actually prayed for God to help us find the right child. Within minutes, this toddler poked her head out of the curtained off treatment room and was wearing Dora the Explorer pajamas! Katie and i were shocked. This little girl’s face lit up as my daughter bent down to give them to her. Our faith grew a bit bigger that day.

The gift of being able to give was the best medicine.

At 13 Katie relapsed, she recruited friends to come with her during scan week and help her bless those battling on the 4 West Cancer ward. It’s one thing to talk about your experiences, but for these young teens to witness children fighting for their lives, as they handed them presents changed their lives forever.

The cancer returned at 16, 17, 19 and now again at 20. Though my girl is now one of the oldest on the floor, she still has a heart to give.

Treatment began in August and hasn’t worked as well as we had hoped, so her oncologist added more chemo. Due to having to be admitted once a month for a week and a week of side effects to follow, Katie decided to study on-line. She is a business major junior at Baylor University and hopes she will be able to return to campus her senior year.

Katie will return to CHLA in January and hopes to bring with her a basket full of S.O.S.

Thank you for helping us put on smile on a child’s face and to pay it forward for all the blessings we have received.

I also wrote her story ‘The Climb’. The book was published in March, 2020. I had my launch party set for middle of the month, but then the world shut down. We still have about 50 books collecting dust as we wait for the country to open up again.

I am donating partial proceeds to three local pediatric cancer charities with each purchase. Soccer For Hope, NEGU and Gold Rush Cure Foundation have come along side my family over the past twelve years, being a source of strength and encouraging Katie to keep fighting. It my take a life time, but our hope it to continue to pay it forward.”

To find out more information about Katie’s S.O.S. Stuff Our Slippers, please message her Mom on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/mary.lacassehawley

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