Helping mom, and making people happy

Above, Corbin resident Kari Burgan Docter (left) hands Paula Mackey some cupcakes she baked recently. She started cooking cupcakes and other items in her home to help her pay for her mother’s medical expenses. It’s turned into almost a full-time business.

Corbin resident Kari Burgan Docter was faced with a dilemma when her mother was recently diagnosed with MDS — a bone marrow disorder that often leads to leukemia.

Docter is a mother of four. Three of her children are aged 11 or younger and are still living at home.

Her mother, Kathy Walker Mills, is currently being treated for the disease at the Cleveland Clinic. She’s a retired assistant physical therapist, who was working part-time, but had to quit her job. Her husband had to quit his job too. The couple is living in Cleveland now while she recovers, and they have a lot of expenses.

“Because I’ve got the little ones, I couldn’t sit with mom to do her treatments. I didn’t feel like I could really do anything because I was stuck here with the kids and I didn’t have anyone to watch them,” Docter said.

Then, inspiration struck.

“I thought, well, I can make some baked goods and maybe make enough to buy them a gas card or something.”

With that rather humble, modest goal in mind, Docter turned to the social media platform, Facebook, to let people know she’d be making cupcakes and other baked goods to help her mother.
The response she got was overwhelming.

“My phone blew up immediately,” Docter said. “The first day, I was having my kids help me with mixing and stuff like that. By the second day, I was like, OK, this is getting serious. You all have to get out.”

Docter said it’s been a bit of a challenge. People are asking her to make things she’s never made before. Some recipe research, coupled with natural talent, has yielded good results. She said she’s raised more money for her mother than she ever thought possible.

“Every day I’m baking at least eight hours. I’m getting five and six orders at a time,” she said. “I love it, to be honest. I’m helping my mom, I’m making people happy, and I’m making myself happy … so, it’s great.”

And she may have a new career. She worked at Corbin Cellars before it’s recent closure. Now, Docter said she’s already been approach by potential investors who want to help her start her own bakery. Her customers may have initially bought her baked goods as a way to help her mother, but they are coming back because of the quality of the sweets they receive.

Kathy Walker Mills received a bone marrow transplant earlier this month and is currently recovering at the Hope House in Cleveland.

A suitable bone marrow donor was found for Mills, who is being treated at the Cleveland Clinic. She plans to spend three and a half months at the Hope Lodge in Cleveland recovering until she is released to come home. Still, there will be frequent trips to the clinic for years to come.

Mills said she’s extremely proud of her daughter.

“I love that this is how she’s caring for me,” Mills said. “I also think it’s been sort of like therapy for her to help get through this. It’s something that affects more than just the patient.”

Mills said if there is a silver lining to her MDS diagnosis, it’s the opportunity it has given her daughter to explore her talents.

“I told her to stop whenever she wants, but she said ‘no, I like it.’” Mills said. “I’m just really proud of her and, of course, I love her to eternity. She’s so talented in a lot of ways.  I think people are finding that out now. She’s making a quality product. Her stuff really is very good.”

Docter set up a booth at the recent October Festival in downtown Corbin. Aside from baked goods, she raffled off gift packages of donated items to raise money for her mother.

The whole thing went extremely well. She said the community support for her mother has enhanced her already favorable view of the Corbin and it’s generosity.

“I’ve always loved Corbin. I just can’t believe the outpouring of support, love and prayers,” she said. “It gives you a whole new perspective on life really.”