Kate Doerge
"We kept seeing butterflies even through the week of Penny's last week. And when she passed, I took her necklace and immediately put it on, and then all of a sudden I started seeing butterflies everywhere." Kate Doerge's voice is full of warmth and wonder as she recounts the days following the passing of her daughter, Penny, at age 16 from neurofibromatosis (NF), a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form on nerve tissue. Amid immense grief, the appearance of butterflies offered a glimmer of hope, a sign that Penny's bright spirit endured. This moment of beauty in the face of heartbreak perfectly encapsulates Kate's approach to life - a conscious choice to seek light, spread kindness, and inspire others no matter the challenges. It was this outlook that led Kate and her husband Chad to found Penny's Flight, a nonprofit dedicated to finding a cure for NF and honoring Penny's legacy.
Early Life
Before her journey with Penny's Flight, Kate built a successful career in fashion and lifestyle PR, running her own agency for 21 years. Seeking new challenges, she then pivoted to become Chief Marketing Officer for a real estate investment trust, guiding a turnaround in Asbury Park, New Jersey. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Kate once again felt called to chart a new path as a brand strategist. But it was the devastating loss of Penny that would lead Kate to her true life's purpose.
Growing up, Kate was shaped by the contrasting but complementary influences of her devoutly Catholic father and her ever-positive mother. On the eve of Kate's wedding, her father shared a piece of wisdom that would become a guiding principle: "You will be challenged and it's up to you how you play the cards you're dealt in life." Throughout Penny's journey with NF - the multiple surgeries, the leg brace she wore daily - Kate and her family chose to approach each hurdle with positivity, faith, and an unshakable appreciation for life's beauty.
Threads of Wisdom
The philosophy that sustained Kate and her family through Penny's battle with NF now forms the pillars of Penny's Flight: finding beauty in imperfection, maintaining positivity in the face of challenges, and choosing faith over fear. "She epitomized a choice we can all make no matter what we face," Kate reflects. "I think her life's purpose was to be a teacher and to inspire others to spread kindness and positivity."
This wisdom is woven into every aspect of how Kate lives. Each morning, she consciously reaches for joy, whether by putting her face in the sunshine, going for a walk with her dogs, or connecting with loved ones. "I knew what I didn't want to feel like, so I knew what I had to do in order to not feel like that," Kate explains when asked how she coped after Penny's passing. Rather than succumbing to the traditional stages of grief, Kate chose to celebrate Penny's beautiful life, to look for signs of her continued presence, and to channel her energy into founding Penny's Flight.
Reflections
For Kate, the synchronicities that led to the creation of Penny's Flight - from her background in marketing to the perfect symbolism of the butterfly - are proof that she is living her life's purpose. "This has been just like a journey," she muses, "and I know there's no coincidence." The butterfly, so meaningful to Penny in life, has become a treasured symbol of her enduring spirit. Its metamorphosis mirrors Kate's own transformation and her hopes for the foundation's impact.
As Penny's Flight continues to grow, Kate's message to others remains simple yet profound: keep reaching for the light. "If you do, then you're on the right path," she affirms. "A path that leads you to a fulfilled, happy life." In spreading this wisdom and working tirelessly to find a cure for NF, Kate ensures that Penny's legacy - her "big, beautiful life" - will continue to inspire, just as the flap of a butterfly's wing sparks ripples of change. Through Penny's Flight, Penny's spirit soars on, inviting us all to choose joy, kindness, and purpose in the face of life's challenges.
