The Kate Collection

This collection was created in loving memory of Kate Mest, my beautiful friend who passed away in December 2021 from Neuroendocrine Tumours (commonly known as NETs).

Kate was a loved wife, sister, daughter, aunty and friend. She had the ability to make you feel like the most important person in the room. She was kind, and warm, and vibrant, and left you feeling incredibly good about yourself after hanging out together. She was also the strongest person I have ever known. She is everything you would ever wish for in a friend and she is fiercely missed by everyone who knew her. 

Kate was extremely active in raising money for NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia (formally known as The Unicorn Foundation) throughout her entire fight with NETs. NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia (NECA) raise money and awareness about NETs, and is a very important foundation close to my heart.

Leading up to what would have been Kate's 32nd birthday in May of 2022, I wanted to do something in her honour to raise money for Neuroendocrine Cancer Australia. This is how the Kate Collection was born.

The collection consisted of two designs named Scout, and Unicorn. Scout, named after Kate’s beloved dog, was made using shades of yellow (to symbolise Kate's unwavering warmth and sunshine). The slab was made the same way I make another design called Botanicals - as this was Kate's favourite pair of GD's. The slab had sunflower/starburst designs on it. And the slab had tiny paw prints embossed over it, as a visual representation of the unconditional love Kate gave not only her beautiful dog but every single person lucky enough to be in her life. Finally, each pair of earrings had a 'K' stamped on the back of them, so a little part of Kate would be with us always.

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The Unicorn design started off as a random blue/pink/purple slab I actually started making as I was having a lot of trouble mentally during the creation process of the collection. A friend commented on the slab stating it reminded her of unicorns. I later found out this comment occurred on National Unicorn Day. It was meant to be, as NECA was previously known as the Unicorn Foundation. And so, the unicorn earrings were born.
 

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On April 26th at 8pm, 101 pairs of earrings went live on this website. The Kate Collection sold out in just over three hours. $1881 was raised for NeuroEndocrine Australia.

There will never be a way to adequately express how much everyone's support of this collection has meant to me. I cannot thank everyone enough for not only purchasing these earrings, but continuing to tag Gertrude Designs when you wear them. It makes my soul so happy every time I see a pair of unicorn or scout earrings, and it heals a little bit of the endless grief I feel, knowing that so many people have heard and have been touched by Kate's story. I still find it incredibly hard to talk about Kate, but I want to shout from the rooftops about how incredible Kate was - and luckily, I could do this on the platform you have given me by simply supporting my hobby of making earrings.

After the Kate Collection and subsequent donation to NeuroEndocrine Australia, the team at NECA reached out to me to discuss an ongoing partnership between us. I am so proud to announce that Gertrude Designs will be continuing to donate earrings to NECA, for them to sell in their online shop for profit - the first item available in their shop that will generate profit for NECA. Each pair of earrings will have a sticker on the back of the earring card, in loving memory of Kate Mest, so that her legacy can live on. 

Kate and I always sent voice notes instead of texting. I'm so thankful that in my last voice note to her, I told her that I loved her. Four days after sending that voice note, Kate passed away. Please take this as a reminder to tell your friends and family how much they mean to you- do it often, and do it with complete sincerity. You never know when you will be saying something for the last time.
 

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In loving memory of Kate Elizabeth Mest
05/05/1990 - 02/12/2021

Kate wrote an article in 2017 about her life, and her diagnosis of NET's - you can read it here: NETs- Kate's Story

More information about NeuroEndocrine Cancer can be found here: https://neuroendocrine.org.au/


Thank you to the following people who purchased earrings from The Kate Collection:
Narelle, Kate M, Rhian, Leanne, Brooke, Rach Bl, Clare, Trace, Alice, Amie, Aisling, Daisy, Cassie, Gemma, Kelly, Jo, Ali, Amy, Ange, Will, Kim, Bronwyn, Dani H, Georgina, Emily, Katie L, Danielle B, Dani S, Pez, Courts, Kate B, Rach Bu, Sarah R, Breanna, Libby, Sarah M, Judy, Rach Ba, Danni G, Corin, Natalie, Katrina, Rach W, Jess Y, Brea, Anna, Maree, Jane, Bianca, Billie, Michelle, Jamey