Kathy Bates, Her Story - Cancer, Life, and The Blind Side

Kathy Bates is an ovarian cancer survivor, an Academy Award winning actor, a child of the sixties, a director, a soulful woman, a graduate of SMU and stars in the movie which opens this weekend, The Blind Side with Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw. But her message Friday was more powerful than her swing in Misery.

She’s also a Tennessee sister as is the executive producer of this movie, Molly Smith. So Friday I went to Memphis for a luncheon where Kathy spoke on her life, her family and her battle with cancer. The proceeds benefited a local hospice house. Her words were from the heart and it was one of the toughest roles of her life. At first the diagnosis and the illness were a very private and guarded secret. But now she sends her strength and love to the millions of other women who have fought the fight and she spoke in remembrance of her mom who died of breast cancer.

Returning home early from the south of France where she was studying French, Kathy called her doctor because she wasn’t feeling right. Three days later she had surgery and nine chemo treatments. As she put it, she wasn’t Kathy Bates who one of the patients recognized; she was down to her soul being. Afraid, but she had faith in her doctor who assured her that this wasn’t a death sentence. She went early, they caught it in time.

Earlier she had watched her parents in failing health and saw the pain and apprehension they had lived with. Kathy was determined to focus on winning this battle one day, one step at a time. She saw strength and compassion in the blue eyes of her surgeon and wondered 'if he was married.' She wanted to know the color of the tumor - beige - her least favorite hue! She always hoped to get the “cute” technician in chemo so she could focus on him and not the needles. She continued to work and was thankful for the makeup people who made her look healthy. Her dear friend, Lynn Redgrave, had insisted that she get back to work immediately – pretend you’re someone else, not a cancer patient. Acting had always been Kathy’s dream. It brought her stardom and fame, now it brought her the big prize – her life.

Following a low time in her life after the treatments, she now says that the cancer gave her life back to her. She knows who she is, what matters and that we are all human beings and why keep secrets that could help others.

Her latest film The Blind Side is a story of love and compassion and miracles that happen when your heart is open. Go see this movie, it’s about an affluent couple from Memphis who take a homeless student into their home, adopt him, enroll him in private school, nurture him and follow him as any parent would their child. He was a number one draft choice of the NFL, Michael Oher of the Ravens. A reminder that dreams come true and miracles happen, even in today’s world.

PS Kathy will be one of the features in my book and as she says, “The only thing I can make for dinner is reservations!”

Want to order out like an Academy Award winner - well surprise your friends and call this favorite Memphis spot - they ship anywhere - Commisary BBQ of Germantown!

Barbecue sandwiches are served with baked beans, Memphis slaw and a deviled egg. . .

http://www.commissarybbq.com/menu

Deviled Eggs
6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and cut lengthwise
½ cup Mayonnaise (Duke’s is best)
3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sweet pickle juice
Dash of cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Paprika for garnish
Halve eggs lengthwise. Remove yolks, place in a small bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in mayonnaise, add remaining ingredients. Fill the empty egg whites evenly with the mixture. Garnish with paprika. Store covered in refrigerator.

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