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Friday, February 4, 2011

Stories that Change the Journalist

I am blessed to be a journalist because every day is different and fresh and exciting. Each story I cover brings something new…that’s why they call it NEWs! However, there is one story I believe I was most blessed to be able to do—Katie’s Story: In It For the Long Haul.

This story almost fell into my lap. I chatting with some of my friends and one of my friends asked us to pray for her friend Katie.  Katie was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease in high school and spring of her senior year of college, she was diagnosed with cancer.

I called my mom and we ended up talking about Katie’s horrible luck…and the more I talked about it, the more I realized it was a great story—perhaps even a great news story. My news director agreed.

I contacted Katie and she and her friends were very willing to talk. One afternoon, she called and told me her mom (who also has Huntington’s) would be in town so I should come do the interview.

I interviewed Katie, her best friend/room mate, and her mom. That weekend I went to a Huntington’s walk in St. Louis with Katie and all her friends to get more footage and talk to more of Katie’s friends.

News stories are supposed to be concise. But I couldn’t get Katie’s story under four minutes. It is just such an amazing story about the power of hope, friendship, and positivity. I am lucky to have met Katie and thankful I told her story. It’s a story that changed my life. And the way I see it, the most astonishing part was Katie was the one thanking me. 

She is a wonderful woman. But don’t take my word for it—go ahead and watch!

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