Fundraiser for Marble Falls woman with cancer ‘kind of a big deal’

CONNIE SWINNEY • STAFF WRITER

MARBLE FALLS —With just a simple conversation, Kathy Rose has this way of making everyone around her feel better about life.

“I would say she is just like a sunflower. She makes you smile. She wants everyone around her to be super happy and loved by everyone,” said Mary Watson, the owner of Tottie’s. Watson is co-hosting a live music benefit on behalf of Rose, who is battling cancer.

“That’s why it was so easy to come up with ‘She’s Kind of a Big Deal’ (for the fundraiser name). It’s not ‘kind of’ — she is,” Watson added. “It’s an honor to do (the fundraiser) here. I’m very lucky to be her friend for so many years.”

The “Kathy Rose, She’s Kind of a Big Deal” fundraiser is 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Aug. 22 at Tottie’s, 806 Main St..

The event will feature musician Rick Cummings and a special guest from 6-8 p.m., Debbie Walton from 9 a.m.-midnight and Tyler Smith.

Families are welcome until 9 p.m. with facepainting, dodge ball and a beanbag toss at the venue.

“This event isn’t about making a whole bunch of money. It’s about the power of love. Faith and love have kept me alive. It’s about the greatness of God because I’m not supposed to be here but I am,” Rose said. “We have all these reasons to complain, so let’s just celebrate — and not just about me, but all these other men and women who have had cancer and are still around, the families of these people who are trying like crazy to smile when they don’t know what the news is going to be.”

Rose grew up in Dickinson, about 20 miles northwest of Galveston. She graduated from Texas Tech University and moved to Marble Falls in 2003.

Five years ago at age 38, doctors diagnosed her with stage 4 breast cancer.

She overcame the disease with a brief remission, but the latest diagnosis appears more dire.

“I’ve been on lots of (chemotherapies). We found one that would work, but that has changed. I have cancer in my bones, lymph nodes, my liver and my lungs,” Rose said. “So I started a new medicine. We don’t really know.”

At the event, she hopes to share a message of possible prevention.

“If I would have paid a little more attention to what was going on in my body, I could have gotten to the doctor earlier and been stage 2 or 3. Maybe it would not have been so terminal,” she said. “That’s why my motto is ‘Touch yourself, you’ll live longer.’

“If women will really listen to what their body is telling them and do what they’re supposed to do, you wouldn’t be in this situation,” she added.

She makes regular trips to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston while still raising her son, a Marble Falls High School freshman, with the help of her parents.

“Before I get too sick — which could be next year or five to six years from now or maybe never — but until I get sick sick, I want to be able to experience things with my son while we can,” she said.

Rose said friends, family and even those she meets briefly continue to inspire her to live and work in the community.

As she battles for her health, she remains employed with the human resources department at Horseshoe Bay Resort. The resort is providing the food for the upcoming event.

“I love it here. We’re so lucky to be here. I want to stay connected to people. I like to see what they’re doing and how they’re growing and what they’re giving back to every place,” she said. “I like to see how they’re giving back. I’m motivated by people.”

She says love for others has become one of her biggest motivators.

In true Kathy Rose form, she will “share the love” during her fundraiser with a kissing booth.

“I’ll have the kissing booth smack dab in the middle. My dad always told me I had a passionate nature, so I’m going to hang out in my kissing booth for donations,” Rose said.

All donations will help pay for her cancer medication, lodging and meals she requires when she travels to M.D. Anderson.

The support —  whether its monetary or just a “smooch” at her booth —  will provide her with the strength she needs to keep fighting for her life.

“My life is filled with good things and fantastic people and so much love, and I’m so happy to be able to focus on that,” she said. “I’m glad to get to be here and share it.”

connie@thepicayune.com