Tate & Lauren: Friends For Life

Grateful is one of many words that could be used to describe Tate Hackney. She’s also upbeat, funny, and so focused on her job that you wouldn’t guess she’s also in the midst of cancer treatment. When we caught up with Tate, she’d just undergone a bilateral mastectomy and was about to receive her final chemo treatment. But through it all, Tate hasn’t lost sight of what really matters. 

“I am so grateful for the unconditional love and support that everyone has shown throughout this process. Although there have been times when the frustration of going through this process can seem a bit overwhelming and daunting, I’m reminded that one is never alone, that this is only a small amount of time in a much greater picture, and that both laughter and tears can be very beneficial.” 

Someone who has been by Tate’s side throughout this journey is her friend and co-worker, Lauren. The ladies met before they ever started working together in Nashville. Tate is in recovery and went through a program called Stillwaters. When Lauren came out to lead a meeting at the center, Tate says they connected immediately. 

“There [are] some people you meet who you just feel a connection with and a sisterhood with, and we’ve been friends ever since.”

Soon after meeting, Tate completed the recovery program at Stillwaters and Lauren helped her get a job at Nashville Recovery Center. Tate considers her decision to stay in Nashville and take the job as one of the best decisions she’s ever made. 

“It’s allowed me to appreciate how precious life can be. And also just to know that it’s okay to ask for help and that people will be there for you. You don’t have to do any of this alone.”

“There’s such a solid foundation here in Nashville. Just the love and support, being around like-minded people who have dealt with this and are going through it and working on their recovery. It has allowed me to appreciate sobriety. It’s allowed me to appreciate how precious life can be. And also just to know that it’s okay to ask for help and that people will be there for you. You don’t have to do any of this alone.”

Tate is surrounded by supportive friends, and when she learned of her cancer diagnosis, Lauren was right by her side. In fact, Lauren was at the hospital with Tate when she underwent surgery to receive a double bilateral mastectomy. 

“I think Tate’s a warrior. She just faced this thing head-on and anytime she had a setback, she readjusted and faced it again.”

“I think Tate’s a warrior. She just faced this thing head-on and, any time she had a setback, she readjusted and faced it again. She just thinks about everyone else all of the time. She woke up from surgery and tried to talk to me about things that need to get done at work! She doesn’t complain, she just does what she needs to do, and I couldn’t be more proud of her.”

Today, Tate and Lauren work together at Hall of Fame Health, a place full of people who have proven that she’s not alone in her cancer journey. 

“Embrace every experience and stay grateful for those incredible moments that will help pull you through the hard times.”

“Recently, when my hair started to fall out, I decided to go ahead and have it shaved. In a show of solidarity, Ryan Cain, President of the Hall of Fame Behavioral Health, also shaved his head. That day, Lauren picked me up from my house and drove me to the hair salon so I could be there to see it in person. 

An amazing experience and something that could be viewed as sad, instead became a celebration of life and acceptance. Hair grows back, and life is so precious. Embrace every experience and stay grateful for those incredible moments that will help pull you through the hard times.”

Tate’s friends and co-workers also started a CaringWays campaign for her, which raised thousands of dollars to help pay off many of the medical bills that come with a cancer diagnosis. Lauren says the team at CaringWays was incredibly helpful and made the whole process super simple.

“This was an easy way to contribute to anything that she needed. We just wanted to come together and show her that she’s appreciated. The love she gives; we wanted to give it back. It’s crowdLOVING instead of crowdFUNDING!”

“We wanted Tate to know that… we just think the world of her. We are on her side and on her team and anything that we could do to make all of this just a little bit easier, we wanted to do. Everyone on the team pitched in and we all shared the link. We just wanted to come together and show her that she’s appreciated and cared for. The love she gives; we wanted to give it back. It’s crowdLOVING instead of crowdFUNDING!”

Tate has her sights set on the future. She plans to celebrate Christmas with her daughter, who’s coming to town, and she’ll see the rest of her family in the new year. 

“I’m looking forward to the future, and my top wish a year from now is to be cancer-free and share the love and support I’ve received with others going through breast cancer.” 

Tate also wanted to give a special thank you to Andrew who has been an amazing support as a team member and friend throughout this entire journey. In addition, gratitude for all her friends, family, work colleagues, roommates, doctors, hospital staff, and everyone else who has been there in support.  

While Tate’s been through a lot in the last year, her focus is still on helping others. She’s the type of person that benefits so much from a carefunding campaign, and CaringWays is honored to be the platform her friends chose to support her during this time. 

Click here to read more about Tate’s CaringWays Campaign.

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