Episode 86: Be The Match, with Kate Foster and Taylor Kemp

Episode 86 – Kate Foster & Taylor Kemp This episode is brought to you by Anvil Coffee Co. Today we are very lucky to be joined by Kate Foster former poster child for CrossFit for Hope. Her journey through two bone marrow transplants is well-documented in CrossFit Journal. I was there at St. Jude in 2013, and I share a small snapshot of that meeting in this podcast intro. Kate just graduated high school a few months ago and is going to be attending the University of North Carolina this fall. She will be studying biology and economics and would eventually like to become a doctor. She has a heart for medicine and is looking forward to helping others just like she has been helped before. One of the big causes that Kate supports is bone marrow transplants. Being that she has had two bone marrow transplants, she knows how important it is to have a matching donor. Taylor Kemp was Kate’s bone marrow donor. She was a student at the time at University of Georgia and she happened to be attending an event for bone marrow donations. Six months later, she got a call telling her that she was a potential match for a girl with leukemia. After a few extra tests, she was confirmed as a match for Kate! After flying to Washington D.C. to give her donation and Kate’s recovery she had the opportunity to reach out to Kate. A quick Google search revealed that Kate was no ordinary girl. After realizing Kate’s story, she was in tears and could not believe how incredible Kate was. They emailed back and forth for a number of years before meeting in person. Since then, they have become lifelong friends from their special bond. According to Taylor. the bone marrow donation process is a lot scarier than it actually is. For anyone potentially wanting to be a donor the biggest commitment is going to be your time and educating yourself on the process. Kate and Taylor are encouraging everyone to register to be bone marrow donors so that other patients like Kate can find their match! To register as an eligible donor, click here: https://bethematch.org/support-the-cause/donate-bone-marrow/ Use the code, "DonateWKate" when you do. Let's show Kate we support the fight! Timeline: 2:14 – Intro to Kate Foster 4:03 – What was it like emotionally and physically to have a cancer relapse? 6:04 – Kate’s plans into the future after graduating high school 7:15 – What is a bone marrow transplant is and how we can help those that need a transplant? 13:55 – Introduction to Taylor, Kate’s bone marrow donor 19:44 – What is the testing like that is required to perform a bone marrow donation? 20:58 – What is the actual bone marrow donation process like? Links