Welcome to Kate's Team^®!

Thank you for visiting the Kate's Team^® website! We are a nonprofit organization with a focus on raising funds and awareness for cancer research. We operate in memory of Kathleen "Kate" O'Shaughnessy, who was just one month shy of her 23rd birthday when she lost her battle with melanoma on December 13, 2000. Through this website, Kate's Team^® provides mutual support and encouragement, and shares information regarding events and causes that are likewise dedicated to the fight against cancer.

How it all began...

"Kate's Team^®" was formed as an online community to keep family and friends updated on Kate's progress throughout her illness, and to provide a widely accessible vehicle to communicate with Kate. The first e-mail was sent out on Monday, January 17th, 2000, exactly one month after the diagnosis. From there, Kate's Team^® took off.

Although the Kate's Team^® e-mails were primarily from the "PR Reps," her Aunt Patti and Uncle Tom, Kate would often share her own experiences and feelings with the Team. Her messages were a testament to her own strength and wisdom, while at the same time revealing the thoughts and concerns of a young woman dealing with a life-threatening illness with remarkable candor. Kate first reported to the Team on February 1, 2000, in her e-mail entitled "It's me, Kate." She had remarkable determination, courage, and spirit. Nothing, not even the cancer, could take that away from her.

What we do now...

In October of 2000, Kate and her Team gathered for the Terry Fox Run in Central Park in New York City. We decided it was important for the Team to participate in the event, raise money for Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and of course, to support Kate. Kate, too weak to walk, was pushed around the course in a wheelchair by our Dad. At the end of the course, Kate pulled herself out of the chair, linked arms with her Team, and, with a huge smile, boldly walked across the finish line. It was her way of showing us that she was not done fighting, that in no way had she given up.

In the spirit of her courage, we continue our annual Kate's Team^® participation in the Terry Fox Run. It is our time to gather in support of one another, as well as to support Memorial Sloan-Kettering's determination to beat cancer. Since 2001, Kate's Team^® has grown to over 100 participants and has raised over $150,000 for research conducted at MSKCC. We are so much more than a loose group of people participating in a cancer run - We are a source of support. We are a force for positive change. We are Kate's Team^®.

Thank you for visiting the Kate's Team^® website. Please feel free to get in touch with us - we would love to hear from you!

Kate's Team^® Slideshow