Katherine Tam Medical Fund

On October 16th, Katherine Tam, a sophomore studying Policy Analysis and Management at Cornell University, was found unconscious and seizing in her dorm. After being admitted to the emergency room that night and eventually being transported to the Neurological ICU at the University of Rochester, Katherine’s doctors put her into a medically-induced coma to try to protect her brain from the continuous seizures she was having. Now, after more than three weeks, heavy anti-seizure medications have suppressed most of the seizures and she has finally started to wake up from her coma. Although still unsure of the cause of her illness, doctors believe that she has New-Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus (NORSE), an extremely rare and poorly understood condition with limited research. As of yet, it is still unclear how long her recovery will take and it is likely that she will require weeks to months of rehabilitation to return to somewhat of a normal life. 


Katherine is a first generation college-student, born to two immigrant parents who have worked extremely hard to give her the opportunities she has had. She is incredibly committed both to her schoolwork and to building a more inclusive campus community, particularly for Asian-American students. She has a goofy, charismatic personality and spends as much time as possible snuggling cats, clearly her favorite animal. She has a beautiful voice and can be found singing along to the radio during any car trip she takes. She loves trying to be fit by going on hikes and runs, but when it comes down to it she really just likes eating shrimp crackers and watching scary movies. She’s confident, opinionated, and sticks to what she believes in, teaching and inspiring the people around her to be their best selves. It’s no surprise that Katherine came to Cornell to pursue a degree that will let her make a positive change in the future. Beyond anything though, Katherine supports her friends and family to whatever extent necessary, so it’s only fitting that we now return that support. 


Although she and her family have managed financially thus far, the medical bills that they’ll receive over the next few months are impossible for any family to handle, especially one already paying college tuition for both Katherine and her sister. Additionally, her placement at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester has made it difficult for her parents to visit Katherine while fulfilling their work obligations in New York City for jobs that are necessary for the family’s continued medical insurance. This insurance will cover some of the medical costs accrued during this process, but there will undoubtedly be significant costs that the family will have to pay out of pocket. Traveling to and from Rochester alone has already added up to a lot. We hope that we will be able to raise enough money to give her family a financial cushion as she comes out of the hospital to ensure that she can continue pursuing her personal and professional goals. 


Thank you for listening to Katherine’s story and we greatly appreciate anything you are able to donate. 


Find more information about NORSE here: https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/new-onset-refractory-status-epilepticus-norse/

Photo credit: Joshua Yam