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Support Tracey Katona's Journey to Recovery - Beaverton, Oregon

January 24, 2023 3 min read

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We are so lucky to have this wonderful community to support each other through hardships. Tracey Katona just had a major surgery to remove a huge tumor in her spine between L1-L3. They were able to remove 70% and the rest will be through radiation. She continues to do Pilates through her hospital stay. Let’s help her however we can for her medical costs, home costs and her Pilates studio!


For those of you who may not know the story of why we are setting up this fundraiser for Tracey, here is the short version. For the past couple of years, Tracey has been experiencing back pain and other issues/symptoms, while at the same time working hard to keep her business open during covid. She continued to seek answers from her doctors, after multiple misdiagnoses, on December 11th Tracey had a MRI that gave her the answer to what was causing her pain these last few years. A 9cm tumor had grown in her spine between the L1 and L3 vertebrae. As her pain continued she was taken to the emergency room at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU Hospital) on Tuesday, December 27th. After multiple tests, she was admitted and surgery was scheduled for Friday, December 30th. After a 12-hour surgery, she was brought back to the ICU where we started to learn about the severity of the tumor. The Surgeon was able to get about 70% of the tumor until it became too dangerous to continue due to the risk of paralysis.. Tracey is recovering slowly as this was a major surgery and has a long path ahead with Physical and Occupational Therapy (getting full mobility and strength back in her legs) as well as Radiation Therapy to remove the remaining tumor. The plan will be to eliminate the remaining tumor with radiation in the coming weeks and or months.
The funds we raise will be used in the 3 aspects of Tracey's life.
  1. Medical costs: to cover what insurance doesn't, as well as transportation and lodging as needed for radiation & physical therapy.
  2. Home costs: food, utilities, rent. so she can focus on recovery.
  3. Business costs: rent, utilities & insurance for her studio to remain open until she can be back full time.

If you are able, share or donate to her GoFundMe



 
January 21, 2023 UPDATE
Tracey is back at OHSU, unfortunately while Tracey was at RIO it was discovered that she had a staph infection by the staff. The staph infection continued to invade her body causing severe pain and vomiting. On Wednesday night she was transported back to OHSU and had emergency surgery on Thursday morning. The surgery was to remove the infection from deep in the muscle. The infection was removed/flushed before it got to the bone or the kidney. Unfortunately this means that Tracey's road to recovery has to start over, and she is back to day 1. Your support in helping Tracey continue to manage through this journey is greatly appreciated, as this is going to be a very long road.

 

about tracey katona

About Tracey Katona Tracey Katona, owner of Katona Pilates, is a certified Romana's Pilates Instructor. A former professional ballerina, she began Pilates to stay healthy throughout her ballet career. After retirement from ballet, she moved to the west coast and began teaching at Nike WHQ where her knowledge and eye for form has made her the most sought after Pilates Instructor there. She has trained many professional athletes and celebrities including LeBron James, Colleen Quigley, Antonio Brown, Melanie Griffith, Emily Infeld, Evan Jager, Emily Menges, Channing Frye, Chris Paul, Lindsey Vonn, Adam and Kara Goucher and many more. In 2013 Miss Katona choreographed Michelle Obama's launch of the Let's Move Active Schools initiative and performed with the First Lady. Tracey has taught at Oregon Ballet Theatre and continues to teach dance all over the country and for Miraval Resorts as a featured presenter. In addition to her studio, Katona Pilates, Tracey has served as technical advisor on photo shoots and video for movement for several athletic brands. Her passion and purpose is teaching and supporting people to move with quality, control and grace through the work of Joe Pilates.