Other than the minor inconveniences of too little sleep and too much confusion, most students don’t have much to worry about their freshman year. But for Kate Seader, a graduate student from Evans, freshmen year at the University introduced bigger obstacles.

Two weeks after starting her second quarter, Seader lost 90 percent of her hearing.

After doctors removed a tumor in her right ear,
another benign tumor grew within 24 hours in her left ear, blocking most of her hearing.

Seader still is able to speak and has learned to communicate through sign language and lip reading.

“I was not prepared to lose my hearing,” she said.

Two years later, Seader underwent another operation to remove the tumor in her left ear.

“I waited two years later because the growth became dangerous, and the doctors removed the little bit of hearing I had left,” she said.

Seader is one in 40,000 people with type-II nuerofibromatosis, a disease that causes tumors in or on nerves throughout the body.

Not much research has been done on the disease because of its rarity, but Seader said she hopes to change that.

She plans to run in the ING Georgia Half Marathon Sunday to raise awareness and money for nuerofibromatosis research.

As part of the NF Marathon team – Team Kate – Seader, her mother and her friend Sarah Seabolt will run 13.1 miles through Atlanta. The team has raised more than $10,000.

While Seabolt and Seader remained close for 10 years, Seabolt felt running the marathon would be a way for her to help fight against her friend’s disease.

After Seader sent out an e-mail about her run, Seabolt had no hesitations.

“When I read that, my heart totally dropped, and I had to do it,” said Seabolt, a University alumna.

A New School

After her surgery in January 1998, Seader took a quarter off for recovery and later transferred to Western Carolina University through the National Student Exchange Program.

Seader’s mother, Teri, a middle school teacher in Evans, said Seader’s transfer suited her daughter’s new needs.

“Western Carolina fit better with her at that time because it was a smaller school,” she said.

Seader graduated in 2003 with a degree in natural resources and, after an internship, headed back to the University.

“When I graduated, research led me to get an assistantship as a research technician, and that’s how I started on the college assistantship,” she said.

Staying Strong

Seader will graduate in the summer from the University with a master’s degree in forest resources, but in the meantime, will continue to run and raise money for the disease.

“Having a chronic illness and dealing with the loss of hearing and communication problems that result is very frustrating at times,” Seader said. “But you have to have a positive outlook because you’ll crumble otherwise.”

Her positive attitude has remained strong and is inspirational for many people including her boyfriend, Matt Reilly, a University alumnus.

“She just has an incredible spirit and finds the good thing in everything,” Reilly said.

And Seader has yet to succumb to the stress of losing her hearing.

“If your body is strong, your heart is strong, you will be able to fight what comes up, and that goes for anybody.”

Contributions to Team Kate can be made at www.active.com/donate/nfgeorgia2007/teamkate.