My name is Kay Elizabeth LiCausi, 37, and I live in Hoboken, New Jersey. I am thrilled to be joining the Love Hope Strength Army to trek Pikes Peak in Colorado and Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. I am dedicating my treks to my incredible mom, Susan Strawderman, who at 62 years young lost her battle to breast cancer last November.

My mom is my inspiration. When I was young, I was very shy and I spent the first five or so years of my life standing behind her – always holding onto her hand or her leg. She was the light of my life.

She was super-mom. She was an amazing cook and an even better baker. She’d host neighborhood cupcake parties, and make cupcakes for us with icing clowns on the top. She handmade all my Halloween costumes. She always had a smile on her face and a kind word to say. She made every
day special.

My mom taught me many things throughout my life. We didn’t have much, so she taught me the joy of simple pleasures. She faced many challenges in her life, so she taught me to be brave in the face of adversity. When my brother died at 17, we realized that life was too short, and she taught me to celebrate life. And, through her kindness, she taught me to help others before I helped myself.

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2006. We did the regular chemo, surgery, radiation routine. Her tumor completely disappeared from the chemo and I thought we were home free. But, just ten months after finishing treatments, in December 2007, the cancer reappeared in her liver.

We launched back into chemo and despite getting every single side effect possible, she took every treatment like a trooper. Up until the very end, she never gave up hope; she was determined to beat it back. She faced her cancer with strength, determination and dignity.

In between doctors appointments and chemo treatments, we made the most of our last year together. We redecorated her house, we watched cooking shows, we treasured every moment. But unfortunately, on November 11th at about 1.45am, she died peacefully in my arms.

There’s not an hour of every day that I don’t think of her and wish that I could have fought harder or done something else to save her.

With the spirit of my incredible mom in my heart, I am trekking these two mountains to help other Mothers and Daughters across the world. To give them the extra years, the extra weeks, the extra moments. To give them the gift of love, hope and strength.

So, please join me on this trek by donating to Love Hope Strength. The funds raised from Kilimanjaro Rocks! will be used to support the main cancer center in Nairobi, Kenya.

And the funds raised from Pikes Peak Rocks! will support bone marrow drives across the United States. Love Hope Strength has already found 12 matches – please help me find more!