Katie Brown of the San Antonio Craft Mafia
June 11, 2009 | By
All of us in the Featured Artisan Department wanted to feature Katie Brown, the Founder of the San Antonio Craft Mafia, but as it turns out, she is sick and has brain cancer. So, instead of an interview, we will tell you her story and hope that it reaches the hearts of many, just like it did for us.
Katherine Brown is a talented artist. She is a found object artist that resides in San Antonio. She enjoys finding discarded remnants and turning them into works of art. In her minds eye, she doesn’t see these things as trash, but as treasures to turn into art. She does enjoy mixed media, and uses technology to help produce her finished works. She sees layers of information in each piece she produces and she doesn’t require complete understanding of her art. As long as it invokes a feeling, she is content.
However, living an artists life can come with repercussions. Many of us live in absolute fear of becoming sick. It’s a fear that so many of us living in the united states without health insurance have… We wake up with a medical concern, and struggle to find a diagnosis for the ailment. We may never get the referral to a specialist that we need, and when we do finally find someone who can pinpoint the problem, it may have elevated to a life threatening condition.
This is exactly what happened to Katie Brown when it was discovered she was not in fact suffe
ring from headaches or depression, but had a cancerous brain tumor.
Brown, the Founder of the San Antonio Craft Mafia, thought it was just a bad bout with chronic headaches. Her primary care doctor gave her some medication samples and sent her on her way. Since she was without insurance, this was the best the doctor could do.
As the weeks passed, Brown’s behavior was not as it normally was, and the drugs given to her did not help with the blinding headaches that debilitated her. Finally, the situation panicked her parents, who rushed her to University Hospital in San Antonio, where a scan discovered a grapefruit sized tumor in her brain.
Thankfully, the tumor was removed with a delicate emergency operation, and a treatment that could double the length of her survival is available. She is also undergoing radiation treatment and is on several medications to control pain and to help with the side effects of the radiation therapy. She suffers from short term memory loss, and her hands tremble. She is just fighting to survive.
Brown remains very optimistic despite the events of the past several months. In a May 11th interview with http://www.mysanantonio.com/, Brown stated, “This cancer is going to have to put up a fight, because I have no intention of giving up.” She has 7 year old twins to care for, and they are the light of her life.
As is expected, Brown’s medical bills are growing daily, and her career as a professional artist has come to a standstill. Her friends with the Craft Mafia have been working hard at getting a Fund set up for her, and if you are inte
rested in helping Katie, or would like to help the Craft Mafia in their efforts to help the ever growing financial burden for Katie’s family, please contact: Patti Hinkley at queenoherbs@yahoo.com.
They will be holding a fundraiser, so if you are in the San Antonio area please go by and check it out. Those details are below.
NO INTENTION OF GIVING UP - Katie Brown Fundraiser
July 26th from 4pm - 8pm
El Tropicano Hotel
110 Lexington Ave.
San Antonio Texas 78205
The San Antonio Craft Mafia can be found at http://sanantoniocraftmafia.com
Photos are courtesy of Katie Brown and Patti Hinkley
Nichole Jeske makes handmade jewelry and geekery, which can be found at Paw & Claw Designs.
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