katie reider - fighting for her life

· Cincinnati-bred singer/songwriter Katie Reider is in the middle of a fight for her life. The 30-year-old Reider has a rare medical condition called myofibroblastic inflammation, which has resulted in tumors all over her body, including behind her eye (she has lost sight in her left eye), jaw, skull and behind her heart. Reider began feeling ill while touring in 2006; she played her final concert at Taste of Cincinnati last year. Reider is currently undergoing treatment in New York City. According to her largely optimistic health blog (go to myspace.com/500kin365 to read Reider's updates), she can no longer sing, but the chemo treatments have done some good in shrinking the tumors.

A project at 500kin365.org has been set up to raise funds for Reider's medical bills and keep a line of communication open between the singer and her many fans. A nine-song retrospective album download called Katie's Voice is available at the site for just $1. The goal is to get a half million hits over the next year. - CityBeat / Mike Breen