When Kathy Christie talks about her daughter, Carla, her voice reflects both the fierce love of a mother and the resilience of a family that has weathered more than its share of hardship. Carla, who lives with a disability, was also facing one of the most challenging diagnoses a person can receive: breast cancer. The complexity of her care needs made the journey even more difficult and, at one critical moment, almost impossible.
"When my disabled daughter, also suffering from breast cancer, lost her Medicaid, your organization took her in; when her Plymouth oncologist sent her a letter discontinuing further care. God bless you!" Kathy shared. Those words capture a moment that could have left Carla without treatment, without support, and without hope. Instead, it became the moment Parkview Kosciusko Oncology stepped forward.
Feels like family
From the day Carla entered the Parkview Kosciusko Oncology Center, Kathy says Dr. John Maul and the care team made her daughter feel safe, seen and genuinely cared for. Oncologists, nurses, patient care techs and support staff ensured Carla received not only expert medical treatment but also compassion, dignity and kindness.
Their dedication left such a lasting impression that Kathy reached out to the Parkview Health Foundation with a heartfelt request: to honor Carla's entire oncology care team through a Guardian Angel Pinning Ceremony. This special recognition program allows patients and families to publicly acknowledge caregivers who make a profound difference in their lives. But Kathy wasn't the only one who wanted to give back.
Angels in red come forward
Kathy's friends from the Angels in Red, a chapter of the Red Hat Society in Plymouth, Indiana, rallied around her and Carla. Wanting to express their gratitude in a meaningful, lasting way, they pooled their resources to donate $450 to the Transformative Cancer Care Fund (TCCF) at the Parkview Health Foundation.
This fund directly supports cancer patients experiencing financial hardship by helping cover essential needs such as transportation to appointments, fuel cards, wigs and head coverings, nutritional supplements and other practical resources that ease the burden of treatment.
Kathy says the gift felt like a fitting symbol of her daughter's journey—a circle of women supporting another woman through compassion, generosity and action.
A growing resource for patients close to home
Carla's care experience also highlights the growing impact of Parkview Kosciusko Hospital's recent expansion. The facility now includes inpatient rooms and a full oncology center, allowing patients in Warsaw and surrounding communities to receive chemotherapy, infusions, and supportive cancer care close to home—without the added strain of traveling to Fort Wayne.
The expansion extends the world-class care of the Parkview Packnett Family Cancer Institute further west, ensuring more patients like Carla have access to advanced treatments, local resources and a care team committed to walking with them through every step of their cancer journey.
A tribute rooted in gratitude
For Kathy, the Guardian Angel ceremony and charitable gift were expressions of deep appreciation—not just for medical expertise, but for the compassion and humanity the Parkview Kosciusko Oncology team showed her daughter when she needed it most.
Their story is a reminder of the profound impact caregivers have on the lives they touch, and how acts of gratitude—large and small—can help fuel hope for future patients.
To learn more about the Transformative Cancer Care Fund or ways to honor your caregiver, visit our website here.
