Katie finds in WCH a space that feels “really intimate, protected and safe.”
In a masterful understatement, Katie Osler describes the last eight years of her life as “a busy time.” During those years, Osler gave birth to her two children at Women’s College and was treated for breast cancer at the hospital. Recently she underwent a hysterectomy, also at Women’s College.
What’s amazing about Osler is that her enthusiasm and energy for life is undimmed by her challenging experiences. “You can get depressed or angry, but then your body is using all that energy that it could be using to fight the cancer,” she says. “I knew it was going to take a lot of energy to get through my treatment, and I didn’t want to waste it.”
“I have very, very happy memories of that time at Women’s College,” she says. “When I was having my babies, it felt really intimate, protected and safe. And yet I knew that they had everything they needed if something went wrong.”
It was just before Christmas 2006 that Osler found a lump in her breast and had an initial consult with her surgeon. A biopsy was performed on December 29, she got her results January 10, and had her surgery on January 16. “That was fast, especially over the Christmas holidays. And I had great care for my mastectomy. I continue to be in awe of what the women at that hospital can do.”
Since her treatment, Osler has directed her donations to support the Henrietta Banting Breast Centre. She says that giving on a monthly basis makes it easy to make a significant gift every year. “It comes off my VISA and I don’t feel it!”She adds: “I think it’s wonderful that there’s a hospital that deals with and caters to women. I love Women’s College and I love supporting it. Mine is not a big donation, but it all adds up.”
Become a monthly donor and join Katie in transforming the lives of women and their families for future generations to come.
