Breast cancer survivors honor their late mother with a bright pink car; driven to make a difference for other cancer patients
When she first felt the lump, Kristina Russell surprisingly wasn't concerned. The 30-year-old had been undergoing mammograms and ultrasounds since the age of 23, due to a family history of breast cancer. But when the radiologist asked to speak in a consultation room with Russell, that's when things became a blur. Russell was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.
"It was hard to grasp the diagnosis at such a young age," says Russell who lives in West Chicago, Illinois. "At the time, my husband and I were trying to start a family. Because I needed to start cancer treatment right away, we chose fertility preservation with Northwestern Medicine Fertility and Reproductive Medicine. After watching my mom and sister battle breast cancer, I knew the disease would take an emotional and physical toll on my body."
In May 2008, Russell's mother, Kittie Schmidt of Bloomingdale, Illinois, was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Seven months later, Russell's older sister, Sherri McKinney of Elburn, Illinois, was diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer after requesting a mammogram at age 35.
"Had my mom not been going through what she was at the time, I know I wouldn't have been as persistent with my doctor in getting the proper testing," says McKinney. "My mom truly saved my life and I'll be forever grateful to her."
In December 2017, Russell started chemotherapy at Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Warrenville, followed by a double mastectomy at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, where she was cared for by breast surgeon Sara Fredrickson, MD, the same doctor who performed McKinney's single mastectomy. As Russell relied on her sister for advice and support, one person was missing from the conversations - their mother, who died shortly after Christmas in 2013.
"Not having my mom there was extremely difficult, but I still felt her presence with me," says Russell. "During one of my chemo treatments in February 2018, I told my sister and husband that I wanted to start a foundation in Mom's name to help cancer patients who are struggling. I had an amazing support system, but I knew others weren't as fortunate."
After finishing treatment, Russell cofounded The Kittie's Warriors Foundation with her sister.
The nonprofit works closely with social workers at area cancer centers, providing patients with financial support during treatment. So far, Kittie's Warriors has distributed grants to five cancer patients, totaling $4,500.
"In general, a lot of our patients are unable to work during treatment. With a reduced income, they're looking at extra expenses for insurance, medications, utility bills, housing and transportation," explains Kaylee Morrison, oncology social worker at LivingWell Cancer Resource Center at Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Warrenville. "We're so thankful that the co-founders of Kittie's Warriors have decided to turn their own difficult experience with cancer into a positive one for others."
In April, a film crew with Bosch captured the foundation's latest donation to a single mother from Wheaton, Illinois, who is unable to work due to side effects from breast cancer treatment. Bosch selected Kittie's Warriors as the first of 10 charities on their Demand Different Tour. The engineering and electronics company plans to highlight each charity in a video on Bosch's social media pages.
"We're hoping the exposure from the video will raise awareness and more funding for Kittie's Warriors," explains Russell. "Every dollar donated goes to help a cancer patient in need."
Russell and McKinney are also using their mother's love of crafting to raise money for Kittie's Warriors. They make and sell items such as bracelets, artwork, wreaths and ornaments on kittieswarriors.org; and it's hard to miss them at craft fairs and car shows with their bright pink Kittie's Warriors Corvette.
"Our family loves car shows, and this Corvette is a vivid reminder of our mom's determination to help others," says Russell. "Even though she's no longer with us, I truly believe Mom's still in the driver's seat, encouraging us to make a difference for cancer patients and their families. Kittie's Warriors is the most fitting way to keep her memory alive and I know she's extremely proud of how far we've taken it in such a short period of time."
To learn more about Kittie's Warriors or to make a donation, visit kittieswarriors.org.