Kate’s Cause
Kate Barfield found comfort during her cancer treatments by riding her Paint mare, Cuttin Irish Rose. Now, she raises money for women’s fertility preservation while staying true to her Western roots.
By Laurel Cox
This article appears in the Spring 2026 Paint Horse Journal
Kate Barfield was 25 years old when she was diagnosed with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare type of cancer that develops in skeletal muscles. It was with this diagnosis Kate received life-changing news—she would likely lose her chance to have children if she did not conduct fertility preservation treatments. Kate was blessed to have family and friends who helped her afford expensive fertility preservation that wasn’t covered by insurance, but she soon learned many women are not afforded similar opportunities. Now, the trailblazer is making a difference through her nonprofit, “Kate’s Cause.”
“I felt so blessed the whole time I was going through treatment,” Kate said. “I had so much support, so I wanted to be able to give some of that blessing back.”
Kate uses the power of social media to raise awareness for her mission and the impacts of cancer on women’s health. She raises money through merchandise sales, auctions and event dinners. Several Western brands have partnered with Kate to help as well, including Bovine Fine Art, Total Feeds, Hooey and Kimes Ranch. She donates the money raised to MD Anderson Cancer Center, and they allocate the funds to women in financial need seeking fertility preservation. Since the organization was founded in 2022, Kate has raised over $70,000. She is always looking for new ways to grow the nonprofit’s outreach, especially within the Western community, to help provide more women the opportunity to afford treatment.
“I’m not the only woman who has struggled with this,” Kate said. “I’m trying to shed light on other affected women. Some aren’t as open to sharing, but they’re still struggling and could use the help. Educating people on this issue since it’s something you may not think about is so important.”
Resilient
Outside of her non-profit, Kate has remained actively involved in the Western community. When she was going through her cancer treatment, Kate found solace riding her Paint mare, Cuttin Irish Rose. Her current mount is a daughter of “Angel,” and Kate hopes to start barrel racing the mare. An agricultural education teacher by profession, Kate is passionate about growing the Western community.
Already blessed as the stepmom to two girls, Kate and her husband are excited to expand their family through surrogacy with the help of Kate’s twin sister. Although the process is not easy, Kate is confident the outcome will be worth it, and she feels this will allow her to connect with more women seeking to build a family after cancer. Proud to be an advocate for other women going through fertility struggles, she hopes to continue making an impact through Kate’s Cause. Learn more about the organization at katescause.org.
“I don’t think any woman should have to choose the treatment that could save her life over being able to have a baby after cancer,” Kate said. “You’ve already had so much taken away from you. This is something that can help.”
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