Katie was the life and soul of everything she touched. Her smile would radiate through a room, her personality was the envy of all, and if she wound you up – it was with a sparkle in her eye. She loved her family more than anything, her friends were vital to her, and she was the most glamorous lawyer most people had ever met. Jaws would hit the floor when she made an entrance.
Katie was diagnosed with cancer in June 2010. What defined her illness was her ability to be one of the kindest and strongest people many of us have ever known and this was shown as she underwent the toughest fight of her life.
At the time of diagnosis Katie was a Senior Associate at Allen & Overy, operating out of their Tokyo office having spent time in Hong Kong, Sydney, Milan and London. Prior to that it had been a 1st from Exeter University, Nottingham Law School and an internship at The White House with Bill Clinton.
From the moment she was taken ill, Katie took charge, deciding that terminal and palliative were unacceptable terms, and being angry and bitter was not for her.
Her approach to her treatment, was proven in the kindness and care she took with the patients and their families in wards and waiting rooms throughout the hospitals. People visibly brightened as her combination of cheeky humour and unbounded optimism, raised the spirits of patients and staff alike.
As her illness progressed, she increasingly managed her friends and family and in hindsight, she prepared us all for what would be the inevitable, culminating in three joyous days of laughter and happiness that the five of us had in Yorkshire, just 24 hours before she died.
So here we are, better for knowing her, stronger for loving her, and priviledged to have been a part of her life.
This foundation is built at Katie’s request, and it will be devoted to the research and application of care for cancer patients at the Royal Marsden Hospital. Please read more about the Royal Marsden Charity and their amazing work here.
CONTACT US: comps82@gmail.com
Please feel free to contact us about the Katie Compson Foundation – we’re proud to be able to raise money in memory of someone so absolutely fabulous.
DONATIONS: http://www.royalmarsden.org/katie
With love
Sarah, Jenny, Pete and Elise