Kathie Pecinka didn’t plan on having her life rerouted by breast cancer. She was a Long Island nurse educator, a lifelong baseball enthusiast, and someone who understood health from both sides of the stethoscope—until a diagnosis five years ago came completely out of left field.
But instead of stepping back, she stepped up to the plate.
A curveball no one sees coming
A breast cancer diagnosis has a way of stopping time. One day, life is moving along just fine—and the next, everything feels uncertain. Kathie describes it simply: when something like cancer enters your family, it’s not just what happens—it’s how you deal with it.
For her, the decision was immediate and clear. She chose to undergo a double mastectomy. It was a decisive move, and one that proved successful—thanks, she says, to an incredible medical team and the kind of care that helps you feel supported at every step.
The surgeon who understood her goal wasn’t just survival
During an interview, Kathie was surprised by a visit from her reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Mark Smith—a moment that underscored how deeply this journey was shaped by partnership and trust. Dr. Smith and Kathie bonded over their shared love of baseball. Dr. Smith had been a college baseball player before switching gears to become a surgeon—choosing a different kind of field where he could save lives.
For Kathie, his work meant more than reconstruction. Dr. Smith performed a microsurgical breast surgery approach that supported a stronger recovery and helped protect her ability to return to the physical life she loved. As Dr. Smith put it: with older techniques, she might not have been able to do a sit-up—let alone get back on the ball field doing everything she’s doing now.
“She came out as a new person.”
Recovery can be more than healing—it can be awakening. After surgery, Kathie didn’t just bounce back. Something shifted. She wanted to do more. Her successful surgery and recovery didn’t only restore her strength—it restored her confidence. And with that confidence came a dream she refused to shelve: training seriously, playing seriously, and earning her place in the game.
Training with the pros—and proving she belongs
Kathie began training and playing with the pros at Mets Fantasy Camp, taking her skills to the next level with guidance from former New York Met Nelson Figueroa. Over time, she didn’t just participate—she competed. She entered the Mets Fantasy Camp tournaments and became the only woman on the field.
“I was the only woman that played there,” she shared. “It was a big accomplishment for me to get there and to be able to play.” And she didn’t just show up—she delivered. She made a couple of really good hits, earned respect, and proved what her determination could build.
The only woman in a national baseball tournament
Today, Kathie Pecinka competes as the only woman in a national baseball tournament—an achievement made even more powerful by what it took to get there. She’s also turning 60 and doing something bigger than chasing a personal milestone: she’s showing women what’s possible after a terrifying diagnosis—after even another diagnosis a year later.
Her message isn’t sugar-coated optimism. It’s earned truth: You can be scared. You can be hit with something that feels impossible. And with the right team and fierce determination, you can come through stronger than you were before.
The takeaway: the right team changes everything
Kathie’s story is about breast cancer, yes—but it’s also about identity, strength, and returning to the parts of life that make you feel like you. Her outcome wasn’t accidental. It was built through expert care, the right surgical approach, a supportive medical team, and her own refusal to let cancer write the ending.
Because sometimes, the bravest thing you can do after life throws you a curveball… is keep swinging.
