Katherine attended elementary school where she was a member of the Oasis class, Club USA, and sang in the school's choir. She was a member of the Girl Scouts for eight years, earning her Bronze Award in 2006 while undergoing treatment for her illness. Katherine enjoyed Soap Box Derby racing and won many awards. She was a beautiful writer of poetry. In her short twelve years, Katherine touched many lives with her strong love and compassion for others. She always put others first, and while battling her illness, she initiated and participated in several fundraising efforts for cancer research. Katherine was diagnosed with a brain stem glioma on December 23, 2005 at the Cleveland Clinic after complaining of double vision during the previous week at school. After her diagnosis she believed in her faith and ask us to take her to Carey, Ohio to the Our Lady of Consolation Shrine. The shrine is a Catholic Church that has been known for it's healings for the last 130 years. Although we are not Catholic we trusted that she was following the required path and drove the 3 1/2 hours each direction. Upon arrival at the shrine we received the phone call that she had a space in a study at St. Judes Children's Research Hospital, however, we needed to be there the following day. We arrived on December 28, 2005 at St. Judes in Memphis, Tennessee. Upon arrival she was placed in a study using an oral chemotherapy drug and radiation simultaneously. In late Feb. she returned home and was getting better everyday. With the continued prayers from everyone, she was able to face the hurdles of everyday life and coming out a winner. Her tumor had reduced and she had regained her lost vision, mobility, and gag reflex. This battle is one which she was determined to overcome! She continued with the treatment at St Judes till Dec. 2006 when we recieved the devestating news that suddently it was no longer effective and they had nothing to offer us except temozolomide which they know is not effective for the long term. With faith and prayers we searched the country until we found alternative treatment at Children's Memorial in Chicago. She began treatment in Jan. 2007 and has shown positive response after only 1 month. Katherine fought extremely hard for 15 months and on the 18th of March, 2007, she earned her Angel wings. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katherinemcvey