October 09, 2014

Publication title: KSL.com, vol. -, Iss. -, pg. –
Place: Bear River, Box Elder County
Writer: Faith Heaton Jolley

Sarah McLachlan donates song proceeds to Utah mother with cancer

After hearing the story of a Utah woman who lost a premature baby while battling cancer, singer Sarah McLachlan decided to donate the proceeds of a cover song to help with the woman’s medical expenses.

Kathy Taylor, 33, was 26 weeks pregnant when she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of melanoma in late August. The skin cancer had rapidly spread and the mother of five decided to fight so she could give birth to her baby. On Sept. 11, she gave birth to Luke Tazelaar Taylor, who weighed 1 pound, 15 ounces.

While she was being treated for her cancer, doctors said baby Luke was not strong enough to breathe on his own, and he was put on a machine to help his lungs. Like his mother, he was a fighter. But a sudden onset of infection proved too much for him, and on Sept. 27 at 8:45 p.m., Luke died.

Singer and songwriter, Sarah McLachlan heard about Taylor’s story and decided to help raise funds to cover her medical costs. Taylor had previously recorded herself singing McLachlan’s song, “I Will Remember You,” according to Taylor’s brother-in-law Nathan Stevens. McLachlan helped make Taylor’s cover of the song available on iTunes and wrote on her Facebook page on Wednesday that “all proceeds will go towards Kathy’s Miracle Fund.”

Doctors said Taylor might have a year to live, but the family is staying hopeful.

“I’ll try to do everything in my power to stay, but I know it’s not in my hands, and I’m OK with that,” Taylor recently told KSL. “You can do it miserably or you can do it with a smile on your face. I wouldn’t change any of it.”

McLachlan’s Facebook post had been shared 350 times as of Thursday afternoon.