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Kathryn Collins Stewart, whom friends and family knew affectionately as “Katy,” died of hepatoblastoma, a rare form of liver cancer, on December 30, with her family at her side. She was 12.
Born at Southampton Hospital, Katy was a lifelong resident of Sag Harbor and attended Sag Harbor Elementary School and Pierson Middle School, where, according to her parents, Jim and Brigid Stewart, she had many friends and teachers she loved dearly. Recently, her father acknowledged that his daughter’s friends were of great importance to her and that although she missed going to school during her illness, she was always most happy when friends and family would visit her.
She was diagnosed with the disease in April 2009, and was treated by the Pediatric Sarcoma Team at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. While under treatment, Katy received an outpouring of emotional support from several friends and organizations in the community. According to her father, teachers from several East End schools and community members often provided the family with homemade dinners, gifts to lift Katy’s spirits or thoughtful notes of support. Several boys in one of her classes shaved their heads in support after she began chemotherapy treatments. Several young girls with whom she attended school helped generate donations for her treatment through lemonade stands in various neighborhoods. Many benefits were held in Katy’s honor including “Katypalooza,” an event established by Sag Harbor teacher Nina Landi, and the “Ride for Katy,” a benefit in which motorcyclists traveled across Long Island to show support. In another effort to demonstrate solidarity, East Hampton High School students wore T-shirts that proclaimed “Katy’s Courage”—in reference to Katy’s Courage Fund, which raised funds to offset her medical costs—and recorded a song about her life and many interests.
In a prepared statement, Mr. Stewart said, “There were many more examples, too many to mention here. But the significance of these caring words and deeds cannot be overstated. This wonderful community was overwhelmingly supportive and words cannot express the gratitude felt by Katy and her family.”
Katy was a lover of animals and relished the time she spent with her two dogs, Emerson and Maisie, her cat, Crooksie, and her pony, Footloose, according to her family. In fact, she often enjoyed riding Footloose at the Little Ripple Farm in Manorville. She also loved to swim in the ocean, ride her bike and perform gymnastics. She only recently began to take up tennis with friends at Pierson Middle School in Sag Harbor.
She was a lifelong member of the Swordfish Club of Westhampton Beach, and according to family members, she enjoyed many happy, carefree days swimming in the ocean and pool, kite flying, building sand castles and barbecuing with loved ones.
She is survived by her parents, Jim and Brigid Stewart; and a brother, Robert Stewart, all of Sag Harbor; grandparents Mary Collins of Massachusetts and Elizabeth and Walter Stewart of Aquebogue; and many aunts, uncles and cousins, including the Bagshaw, Thomas, Chizever, O’Flaherty, O’Sullivan and Collins families.
The family was to receive visitors on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 4 and January 5, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. both days at the Yardley and Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, January 6, at 10:30 a.m. at Saint Andrew’s Catholic Church in Sag Harbor. A reception will immediately follow in the church hall.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Max Cure Foundation Inc., 21 Settler’s Lane, Westfield, New Jersey, 07090 or via maxcure.org. Donors should indicate whether funds are to be used for a scholarship fund in Katy’s memory at Pierson High School or for pediatric cancer research in her name at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The scholarship will be awarded to students who exemplify remarkable courage, kindness and empathy.
on Jan 6, 2011