Kathryn Rose

by Kris Proctor

It was Friday, October 8, 2021. My daughter, Kathryn Rose Proctor (Katie), her husband, three sons and I took a wonderful trip to the zoo. Saturday was Katie’s normal day to run and chase her three sons, ages 8, 5 and 3. Sunday morning, prior to getting ready for her oldest son’s birthday party, Katie invited me to breakfast with her family.

The worst thing I told Katie was to go enjoy her family and I would join them next Sunday. Well, that next Sunday, I was at her Celebration of Life.

Following the Sunday morning breakfast, while getting ready for her son’s party, Katie got the most horrendous headache. Her husband rushed her to the hospital. Later that evening, a neurologist informed my son-in-law that he thought, based on the MRI, it appeared to be a glioblastoma tumor. The plan was to have a biopsy the following day (Monday).

While in the hospital, Katie continued to text me while I was staying with her sons. On Monday afternoon, she was going in for a biopsy. The last text I ever received was, “Mom, I will come home after the biopsy or call you.”

After coming out of the biopsy, she lapsed into a coma. We lost Katie 24 hours later on Tuesday afternoon.

Katie was so physically fit. She worked out on her Peloton bike 3-4 days a week. She walked regularly and played golf. She chased after three little boys. She was perfectly fit and healthy. Without any symptoms, Katie went from being a healthy and beautiful 35-year-old mother, wife, and daughter, to being gone from our lives forever.

Following the loss of Katie, who had not only been my daughter, but my best friend and business partner, I was thoroughly confused with the diagnosis of a glioblastoma tumor. I have researched and read everything I can with no more understanding of it today than I did in October of 2021.

I realized I needed to channel my grief somewhere, and that somewhere was generating as many funds as I could to help for research of this disease. One of the many research doctors I have talked to has told me the brain is the last place in the body doctors have wanted to dwell on because it controls the rest of the body, and so much can be affected by a simple error or wrong movement. 

This desperate need for more research inspired me to create “Katie’s Caps.” I knit hats and a friend crochets hats, and we sell them for $25. The entire amount goes to ABTA because so many generous people have donated yarn to us.

Since heavy hats are only needed in a short window of months in Indiana, I have ventured into other areas of fundraising. I have sold trucker hats we’ve created. Now I am onto a t-shirt recognizing May as Brain Cancer Awareness month, and a new “My Intent Word” bracelet. You give me “your word” and I make your bracelet.

It has been asked by some why I can’t leave this alone and get on with my life. Well, it’s because I am a Mother on a Mission…a mission to give reasoning and understanding to the loss of this beautiful woman and to help provide money so no other spouse, child or parent has to feel the pain we have with the loss of Kathryn Rose.

So, until I take my last breath, I will raise as much money—in any way that I can—to support ABTA-funded research of this horrendous disease, and to help deal with my grief.

You can learn more about Katie’s Caps here.