Hope can be hard to find when you're facing grief, loss, anxiety, depression, or seasons that feel too heavy to carry alone. I know, because I've been there.
My name is Katie Dorn, and twenty-two years ago, I walked alongside my beloved sister, Ginny, through her battle with terminal cancer, and later, adopted her three daughters into our family while grieving the loss of my best friend. Through that journey, I learned that hope often appears right in the middle of hardship — in the people who show up, the lessons we learn, and the Divine miracles of love that carry us forward.
Passing Hope Forward
Out of that journey, I have identified three ways to pass that hope forward:
1.To Share My Story of Hope. If you're walking through a hard season, Magnolias In Winter, was written with you in mind. [Learn more here]
2.To Honor My Sister's Legacy. All author proceeds from Magnolias in Winter are donated to the Ginny Kelley "God Love Ya, Hon" Memorial Fund, a charitable fund managed through the Minneapolis Foundation to pass Gin’s hope and spirit on to families and youth facing adversity. [Learn more here]
3. To Provide Practical Help. Our family's journey taught me that love is essential—but sometimes love alone isn't enough. Children also need practical skills to navigate life's challenges with confidence. That's why I founded EmpowerU, helping children, teens, and families build resilience, strengthen emotional well-being, and discover lasting hope. [Learn more here]
Wherever you find yourself today — welcome. I'm so glad you're here.
GLYH — God Love Ya, Hon.
Finding Hope in Life’s Hard Seasons
How do you hold onto both heartbreak and hope when your sister is dying - and is a single mother to three young children?
That was the question Katie Kelley Dorn found herself living, not just asking, when her beloved sister Ginny received a terminal cancer diagnosis. What followed were years of hospital rooms and holiday tables, of laughter and heartbreak, of caregiving and uncertainty — and ultimately, of becoming a mother overnight to Ginny's three young daughters while grieving the loss of her best friend.
Magnolias in Winter is the story of that journey. A memoir about grief, faith, sisterhood, adoption, and the extraordinary discovery that hope doesn't wait for the hard season to end — it shows up right in the middle of it.
Katie writes with honesty and warmth about what it means to love someone through the unthinkable — and to keep going after they're gone.
If you are facing loss, caring for a loved one, raising children through difficult seasons, or simply searching for hope — this book was written for you. You are not alone.
Magnolias in Winter
A Memoir by Katie Kelley Dorn
The Ginny Kelley
"God Love Ya, Hon" Memorial Fund
Paying Hope Forward in Ginny’s Honor
Ginny Kelley had a remarkable gift for making people feel seen, loved, and welcomed. Her favorite expression — "God Love Ya, Hon" — was more than a saying. It was her way of blessing others and reminding them they mattered. After losing Ginny to breast cancer in 2004, our family experienced firsthand the power of community, compassion, and hope. Their kindness changed our lives.
In 2026, we established the Ginny Kelley "God Love Ya, Hon" Memorial Fund to pass that hope forward. Through the Minneapolis Foundation, the fund directs support to innovative schools and nonprofits — organizations on the front lines of helping children, adolescents, and families navigate mental health challenges, grief, loss, and adversity.
All author proceeds from Magnolias in Winter go directly to the fund. Every gift — large or small — carries Ginny's spirit forward. Our hope is simple: That every child and family facing a difficult season will know they are not alone. Because hope grows when it is shared.
GLYH — God Love Ya, Hon.
[Donate to the Fund, managed by the Minneapolis Foundation→]
Mental Health Tools that Build Resilience
Practical Skills. Lasting Hope.
As a school counselor, therapist, educator, and mother, I've seen something that keeps me up at night — children and teens who are deeply loved, but still struggling. Because sometimes love and support, while essential, are not enough by themselves. They need skills to take charge and manage their challenges - with your love and support. You know your child better than anyone. You can see when they're overwhelmed, anxious, or losing confidence — and it can feel helpless when you don't know what to do next. EmpowerU was created for moments exactly like that.