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Christian and Kendall Harder have experienced firsthand how a cancer diagnosis can unleash a flurry of emotions for patients and their loved ones. Now the young couple is hoping to provide comfort to other families facing their own fight with cancer.

“It’s the hardest thing you can go through, and I feel like people often go through it alone,” Christian Harder said.

The stress of caregiving

When Christian’s mother, Katherine Harder, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2019 despite never having smoked, he remembers feeling like he was in an episode of a television medical drama. “It’s almost like I didn’t know this could happen to someone I love,” he said.

A few years earlier, in his mid-20s, he served as a caregiver for his father, Shepard Harder, who passed away in 2015 from Parkinson’s disease. Then at age 29, he again stepped up, this time with his wife Kendall, to help with his mother’s care. Kendall (left) and Christian (right) celebrate their wedding on May 16, 2021 with Katherine Harder (center). Photo credit: Sarah Shank.

One thing Christian remembers most about that time: taking his mom to her doctor’s appointments – most of them at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center – and receiving updates from her care team.

“There are some days where nothing happens. Then there are some days when everything happens,” Christian Harder said of the family meetings with his mother’s doctors. “It’s a lot – especially for someone who isn’t expecting it or is the child of a patient.”

Katherine Harder underwent surgery to remove the adenocarcinoma in her lung but did not receive chemotherapy due to her small stature and prognosis. She died in November 2022 from heart complications related to her cancer.

“Cancer affects literally everybody. You can’t meet anybody who’s not affected by it, but you can still feel like you’re the only person.” - Kendall Harder

Finding respite

Following Katherine Harder’s death, Christian and Kendall looked for ways to keep her memory alive, ultimately deciding that naming one of Massey’s family consultation room at VCU Health’s Adult Outpatient Pavilion (AOP) would be a fitting way to remember the mother who instilled the values of philanthropy in her son at an early age.

Christian Harder at age 5 with his mother, Katherine. (Contributed photo)

“It’s an important space. A lot of times that’s where you’re learning news, and not necessarily great news,” said Kendall Harder, a VCU College of Humanities and Sciences alumna who joined the Massey Alliance Young Professional Board in summer 2024 to support and raise awareness for the cancer center.

“These types of gifts not only advance the important work happening here at Massey but can provide some comfort or connection for our generous supporters,” said Caitlin Doelp, executive director of development at Massey. “We are grateful to the Harder family for their meaningful contribution and look forward to their continued support through Kendall’s board service.”

In January 2025, a plaque honoring Katherine Harder was unveiled outside the family consultation room on the AOP’s fourth floor, where Massey patients undergo treatment. For Christian and Kendall, it was a moment of impact – for both Massey’s patients and themselves.

“Our family consultation rooms serve as dedicated spaces where patients and their loved ones can meet with members of their care team,” said Whitney Meleski, Massey patient and family support manager and licensed clinical social worker. “They are places where families can ask questions, process information and privately work through any emotions, which are important parts of their journey.”

“I have no doubt philanthropy heals,” Christian Harder explained. “You’re doing something useful, but it’s also nice to be a part of something bigger. It’s what our loved ones would want.”

If you would like to learn how you can support Massey, please contact the Development Office at (804) 828-1450 or TeamMassey@vcu.edu.

Written by: Amanda Kowaleski