Katie Rose Oppo
“I read somewhere that false hope does not exist, and it was something that stuck in my mind. Because hope in itself is never guaranteed, it can’t be false in the same way that it can’t be true. Life without hope is similar in my mind to a life without dreams or goals-not really a life at all. That’s why I promise myself that I will never give up hope. That is not to say that there isn’t such a thing as being naive, because of course there is an overruling sense of logic in my mind that tells me when things are “likely” versus “unlikely.”
At age 19, Katherine Rose Oppo was diagnosed with a rare, highly aggressive, stage four cancer: Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary- Hypercalcemic Type, (SCCOHT). Katie gave her all to survive this disease wanting dearly to continue her path to becoming a doctor. She stayed focused throughout and tried to find out all she could about SCCOHT vowing to shed light on this awful disease.
Katie led by example. She gave the team hope from the very beginning when she assessed her diagnosis with a critical eye, took the lead in all her medical decisions, and joined an online support group for SCCOHT. She made plans with her family and friends and lived her life as if nothing was trying to stop her.
Katie passed away on April 11th, 2011.
To make sure Katie’s legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of those she has touched, Team Katie established a non-profit foundation, the Katie Oppo Research Fund (KORF) to honor her and to raise funds for ovarian cancer research. Team Katie is an exceptional group of friends and family inspired by an extraordinary person whose meaningful life was lived with determination, courage, and integrity.
KORF’s goal is to break the silence of this aggressive cancer and fund research that will lead to prevention, screening, and cure.
Hope by Katie Oppo - 11/3/2010
OUR MISSION
Our mission to increase awareness and fund research for the prevention, treatment, and cure of Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary, Hypercalcemic Type (SCCOHT) – a rare and life-threatening disease–as well as all forms of ovarian cancer.
WHY WE ARE SO PASSIONATE
We are so passionate about this cause because our hero, Katie Oppo, succumbed to SCCOHT on April 11, 2011. Katie was an intelligent, determined and courageous person whose dream was to become a physician. She was shocked by the lack of information available to help guide her to the proper treatment for her rare disease. Team Katie’s goal is to shed light on SCCOHT by funding research so others facing this challenge are not alone.
​
Without your support our vision is not sustainable. We are currently funding research that targets the causes of ovarian cancer and investigates viable, groundbreaking avenues of prevention, treatment and cure.
​
The Research Fund
The Katie Oppo Research Fund is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to research the cause and prevention of SCCOHT and all forms of ovarian cancer. All proceeds go directly to the research fund and are granted to cancer research institutions and individual researchers. We do not offer salaries to any team members as we are staffed entirely by volunteers who are dedicated to our cause and the memory of Katie Oppo.
​
We raise money through events such as the Katie Oppo Memorial Walk/Run in June, the Katie Oppo Research Fund Dinner Gala in November, Supporter Sponsored Events and donations from people like you! Thank you for taking the time to visit our website, and we encourage you to become a member of Team Katie and donate to this very worthy cause.
Meet Team Katie
To make sure Katie’s legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of those she has touched, Team Katie has established a non-profit foundation, the Katie Oppo Research Fund to honor their hero and to raise funds for cancer research. Team Katie is an exceptional group of friends and family inspired by an extraordinary person whose meaningful life was lived with determination, courage, and integrity.
Katie Oppo gave the team hope from the very beginning when she assessed her diagnosis with a critical eye. By following her example we got our wagons into a circle and rallied around her to protect her from the enemy: Small Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary, Hypercalcemic Type (SCCOHT). She didn’t flinch when she faced multiple surgeries and four cycles of the most toxic chemotherapy regimens. Instead, she made plans with her family and friends and lived her life as fully as could be imagined under the circumstances. Only Team Katie knows the depth and breadth of what our hero was able to do. We are dedicated to her, and owe her the tribute of raising funds for research to unlock the mystery of a disease that took such a precious life. While Team Katie recognizes there are many great causes to support, we believe that this one deserves your consideration. Your contributions will help keep Katie’s determination alive and bring list to a disease where hope is a serious challenge.
It is Team Katie’s goal to break the silence of this aggressive cancer and fund research that will lead to prevention, screening, and cure.
In Loving Memory:
