Who We Are
Kathy & Devin want to share the hope that they have found through Jesus while looking for alternative medical therapies for a cancer diagnosis. Kathy battled triple-negative breast cancer for a year, beginning July 2023. She completed two different aggressive chemotherapies, had a mastectomy with reconstruction followed by 25 rounds of radiation. She went for her after treatment scan in August 2024 knowing she would get the “all clear” to move on with life! She was feeling good and getting stronger! She had planned a “cancer free” party with 60+ of her biggest supporters and was feeling great!
Much to her surprise, something suspicious was found on her scan and further testing was done. She was SHOCKED to find that there were lesions on her spine. This ended up being the same cancer that had metastasized to two places in her spine. Luckily it had not moved into any lymph nodes, so that was good news, so they got busy planning an attack of what to do next. Her feeling was that there had to be a root cause and that had not been addressed through her chemo, surgery and radiation phase of her healing. They knew God had a plan and would give them the answers they needed.
Kathy had always wanted to do alternative therapy along the way, but her oncologist would not allow her during her “standard of care” treatment and immunotherapy. During her treatment, she pulled out all the stops. She switched to a vegan diet, drank 64 ounces of carrot juice a day, took supplements, walked every day, and got back into the gym and she felt well enough. She had really been getting her strength back and was feeling good when they got this new diagnosis. The oncologist stopped the last immunotherapy she was supposed to receive and gave them little hope for the future than managing the symptoms.
After processing through all this new information, Kathy contacted a friend whose husband had completed some alternative therapies. As only God would have it, they were having an open house the very next day, so they visited Humanizing Medicine. They were able to have someone one-on-one time with everyone in the clinic, including the doctor. They left with a ton of HOPE and started treatments a few days later. This combined with their strong Christian faith they placed their hope in Christ, who they know lead them to this clinic.
With all the cost out-of-pocket and very pricey, Kathy had the idea of developing a T-shirt to be sold as a fundraiser for her treatment. She already owned a T-shirt that said “overcomer” and tested the idea of wearing that shirt at a couple of her doctor visits with other patients in the waiting room. She was able to secure eight hugs in one day! The one thing she DID know is that everyone sitting in those waiting rooms needed HOPE, and there was a lot of patients everywhere she went!
In her quiet time, God gave her the idea for the name and logo and told her that this would be much more than just a way to pay for her own treatments. This mission is a way to share the HOPE of Christ with others through a conversation and a hug and allow others to become an ambassador for the Hope and Hugs brand.
Since those treatments started, she’s found her way to a great Integrative Oncologist that embraced alternative therapies! She and Devin had a consult with Hope4Cancer decided to visit and start with their 22-days of therapies at their Cancun, Mexico clinic.
Their 22-day trip was an amazing experience with God winks on the daily! The people at Hope4Cancer and the treatments received were a God send. They didn’t know it was a Christian based organization that started each day with praise and worship but what a blessing that was! They were not ready to go back after 3 weeks beachfront, just across the street from the clinic they visited daily (except on Sundays).
Kathy has known for a while that God was calling her to speak and had even joined toastmasters when she went to work at Chick-fil-A. Proof that God was getting her ready for more of that happened while she was at H4C. The owner and his wife and staff were there doing some filming, and she was asked to sit down with Marcy, the founder’s wife and talk about her testimony.
You can watch the 20 minute interview here: https://app.frame.io/reviews/4505298b-86dc-4870-a718-5106351d297b
Since being back state side, her oncologist strongly suggested the Enhurtu infusions because the original cancer was aggressive and came back so quickly. After this stage 4 diagnosis and much prayer, Kathy started the infusions upon her return from Cancun. The suggestion was to get a PET scan ASAP but she wanted to wait for the Mexico and Enhurtu treatments to take effect, so she put off the scan until just before her 3 month checkup back in Mexico. The results came back the day before the best Thanksgiving ever, showing NO signs of cancer. What a modern-day miracle this is! We were blown away by these results and give thanks to Jesus for this healing that has taken place.
The 3-month checkup has been another amazing visit and most of her numbers have improved greatly. Our goal is to be as healthy as possible, getting her body to fight and keep any cancer away. The plan is to return for a 6 month visit in March 2025 and continue the supplements and at home protocols that they have prescribed in Cancun.
If you want to continue to follow us, you can do so by going to Caring Bridge and searching for Kathy Householder. Here’s a link for that as well: Kathy's Caring Bridge
We can’t express how much we appreciate your love and support! Remember to freely give those HUGS out for HOPE in Jesus. Romans 15:13!
Benefits of Hugging, Backed By Science
Have you been hugged today? It might seem like a silly question, but the benefits of hugging can be nearly as beneficial as the benefits of your other healthy habits like exercise, meditation, and more. Below are some the proven benefits of reaching out to someone for a warm embrace:
Hugging can be good for your cardiovascular health
Regular hugging—or warm contact in general—might be good for your heart, particularly when it comes to keeping your blood pressure under control in stressful situations. One study had a group of people hold hands with their partner for 10 minutes and then hug for 20 seconds before being sent off to do a public speaking task (aka most people's biggest fear). Another group of people just rested quietly before being sent into the public speaking task. The people who'd gotten the physical contact beforehand had lower blood pressure and lower heart rate increases in response to the stressful situation than the people who hadn't gotten any touch.
Hugging promotes bonding in all our relationships
According to integrative neurologist Ilene Ruhoy, M.D., Ph.D., hugging promotes closeness between people. "The physiologic changes that accompany the human touch are thought to be related to an exchange of energy in the form of electrons.” "The act of hugging also releases oxytocin stored in the pituitary gland, which is often affectionately referred to as the 'love hormone' because it helps us bond with our newborns. That feeling of love, familiarity, and fellowship is why we have the instinct to hug our children, our parents, and our friends."
Hugging can improve romantic relationships
Oxytocin, the main hormone released during orgasm, is also released from hugging. Also known as the "cuddle hormone," oxytocin tends to get the blame when we find ourselves feeling attached to our latest Tinder date. But its bonding ability makes hugging and physical touch some of the most important building blocks of a strong connection in a relationship. Among couples, physical touch is associated with feeling more secure in the relationship, and, in particular, hugging has been linked to satisfaction in relationships. That oxytocin from warm contact makes people feel more supported by their partner as well.
Hugs can lower stress
Do you ever hug a friend, family member, or partner after a long day and think, "Wow, I really needed this"? You may literally be feeling your heartbeat slow down and your brain calming down."Hugging stimulates the healing parasympathetic nervous system," physiologist and sleep therapist Neri’s Ramallah, tells us "We produce the well-being hormones of oxytocin and serotonin, which create feelings of inner safety and trust." Some research has even found interpersonal touch can lower our cortisol secretion in response to stressful situations.
Hugs can also generally improve psychological well-being
Many studies suggest hugging can help minimize negative emotions and supports a more positive state of being. A 2015 study found people experiencing distress who received affectionate touch from their partners felt more supported, even when their partner didn't know they needed emotional support. Another study found people who received more touch from their partner or gave their partner touch more frequently experienced better mood, more intimacy as a couple, and better psychological well-being over time.
Touch (yes hugging) can communicate emotions.
Never underestimate the power of nonverbal communication. People can convey a lot of information just through physical touch alone, particularly affectionate touch like hugging. One study in the journal Emotion found even strangers could communicate emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, gratitude, and sympathy just through touch alone. That's pretty amazing!
Hugging can defuse fights between a couple.
Does fighting with your partner make it impossible for you to focus on anything else for the rest of the day or simply make it tough for you to keep in good spirits? A 2018 study found hugging can actually help make sure fights don't ruin our day. Researchers surveyed over 400 adults in relationships every night for two weeks about how often they hugged their partner, how often they fought, and what their emotional state was like each day. They found that, for couples who hugged each other on the same day as a fight, the fight had less of a negative impact on their mood both that day and the next. In other words, hugging buffered the negative effects of getting into an argument and allowed couples to stay positive in the face of conflict. Some research even suggests people who hug more often tend to be better at resolving conflicts.
More frequent hugs can boost your immune system
While you definitely don't want to go around hugging people when you're feeling under the weather, getting enough hugs may help you avoid catching a cold in the first place. A 2014 study published in the journal Psychological Science exposed 404 healthy adults to a common cold-causing virus and found that those who were hugged more frequently were less likely to get sick and had less severe symptoms if they did. "Research from psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) shows that hugging can boost levels of natural killer cells, lymphocytes, immunoglobulins, and other immune-boosting cells.” It was also noted, all that oxy Cotton produced from hugging supports your T – regulatory cells which help keep your immune system strong.
Hugs may even dull pain for people with chronic conditions
Not only can a hefty dose of hugs help you avoid a scratchy throat or runny nose, but some studies suggest hugging might be physically beneficial for people with certain chronic conditions. Research has shown healing a touch may help cancer, patients perceive less pain, in addition to lowered blood pressure and fatigue. Another story with similar benefits in people with fibromyalgia syndrome, who experienced a decrease in pain and an increase in quality of life after therapeutic touch treatments. Of course, therapeutic touch is generally more than just a hug. It generally involves a practitioner passing their hands over a patient's body or some form of massage.
Hugs can actually keep you looking and feeling young
If you're looking to add something new to your anti-aging routine, it is suggested that giving and getting more hugs in addition to that fancy new eye cream. "Hugging can have anti-aging advantages because of the effect on the well-being hormones," she explains. The increase in production of certain hormones while hugging—oxytocin and serotonin, in particular—can lead one to get better sleep and to make healthier choices overall, which can lead to reduced signs of aging.
With all these pretty miraculous benefits just from wrapping your arms around someone (and vice versa), it's not a stretch to say that we could probably all use some more warm embraces in our lives.
And in case you were wondering...there are a lot of benefits of kissing too!