Kate Szymanski is a facilitator with Quest for Life, a qualified counsellor, and a Dru yoga teacher. She began her career with great success in advertising, working in Sydney and New York, before returning to Australia and raising four children while working part-time.
In 2009, Kate was diagnosed with a Grade II Astrocytoma, a brain tumour that required frightening surgery. At the time, her boys were seven and five, and her twin girls were just 18 months old. With her husband absent, Kate leaned heavily on her parents, extended family, and friends during recovery. Although she was told the tumour would return as a more aggressive cancer, she pressed on, juggling motherhood, part-time work, and the responsibilities of being the “doer” in her wider family, all while ignoring her own needs.
In 2012, a routine scan revealed her worst fear: another tumour, this time a Grade IV Glioblastoma. Given just 18 months to live, Kate was plunged into the darkest time of her life. Her overwhelming concern was not for herself, but for her children growing up without their mother. She recalls feeling utterly hopeless—until a chance meeting with Petrea King changed her trajectory.
The program was a game-changer. It gave Kate hope when she had none, and a new understanding of her own agency in creating an inner and outer environment that could support healing and peace of mind. After completing surgery, six weeks of radiation, and nine months of chemotherapy in Australia, Kate felt empowered to pursue a pioneering form of immunotherapy called Dendritic Cell Therapy, which took her to Germany for successful treatment. Since then, she has experienced a few frightening scares of recurrence, reminders of the unpredictable and aggressive nature of this disease.
Now, more than a decade on from her terminal prognosis, Kate brings extraordinary resilience, empathy, and lived experience to her role at Quest for Life. She is a passionate advocate for yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, and draws deeply on her own journey to support others facing life’s greatest challenges. Kate’s story of survival, courage, and transformation inspires audiences and participants alike, making her a sought-after voice for podcasts, media, and speaking engagements on healing, wellbeing, and the power of hope.