Barb was first diagnosed with t-cell lymphoma over twenty years ago. Faced with a very short prognosis, she was recognized as a good candidate for an experimental treatment.
Her first fundraising began there.
Our community raised over $300,000 to send her out to Johns-Hopkins in 1989 to be one of the first people in the country to have their own bone marrow taken out, treated with radiation, and then put back in. (even in a family of ten kids, none of us were a match for her.)
She lived a pretty normal life for twenty years after that - though surely would have lived a short time without. Because of it, her kids were able to grow up with a mom.
The procedure is routine now, and people all over are able to live on because of the bravery of her and a couple of others who were willing to try that "experiment". . .
When her cancer returned a couple of years ago, she once again tried an aggressive treatment but this time it was evident that her time was limited.
In the twenty years of LIFE though, she continued to grow spiritually, sharing God's love wherever she went. She lived her faith out loud. When it was time for her to decide on trying yet another experimental treatment or to let nature take its course, she knew that her life here was coming to a close and that she was ready to move on. She was a living testament to faith. With almost no fear, she boldly proclaimed that she was ready to meet the Lord - and left the hospital to go home - to play in the snow - and to live out the rest of her days.
Though the time was short, it helped give her kids time to prepare for her death. She lived vibrantly up until just days before she left here.
Her funeral service was a real celebration of LIFE and FAITH. Though we were all sad for our own losses - and especially for her kids - we knew that she was gleefully cheering "wooohoooo! What a ride!!" as she left this world for the next.
She was an inspiration. A quirky, funny, unique lady - who lived without filters. She knew who she was and she lived that all out loud.
On Jul 18, 2012 gretchen wrote:
Post Script:
Barb was first diagnosed with t-cell lymphoma over twenty years ago. Faced with a very short prognosis, she was recognized as a good candidate for an experimental treatment.
Her first fundraising began there.
Our community raised over $300,000 to send her out to Johns-Hopkins in 1989 to be one of the first people in the country to have their own bone marrow taken out, treated with radiation, and then put back in. (even in a family of ten kids, none of us were a match for her.)
She lived a pretty normal life for twenty years after that - though surely would have lived a short time without. Because of it, her kids were able to grow up with a mom.
The procedure is routine now, and people all over are able to live on because of the bravery of her and a couple of others who were willing to try that "experiment". . .
When her cancer returned a couple of years ago, she once again tried an aggressive treatment but this time it was evident that her time was limited.
In the twenty years of LIFE though, she continued to grow spiritually, sharing God's love wherever she went. She lived her faith out loud. When it was time for her to decide on trying yet another experimental treatment or to let nature take its course, she knew that her life here was coming to a close and that she was ready to move on. She was a living testament to faith. With almost no fear, she boldly proclaimed that she was ready to meet the Lord - and left the hospital to go home - to play in the snow - and to live out the rest of her days.
Though the time was short, it helped give her kids time to prepare for her death. She lived vibrantly up until just days before she left here.
Her funeral service was a real celebration of LIFE and FAITH. Though we were all sad for our own losses - and especially for her kids - we knew that she was gleefully cheering "wooohoooo! What a ride!!" as she left this world for the next.
She was an inspiration. A quirky, funny, unique lady - who lived without filters. She knew who she was and she lived that all out loud.
And in her memory: "Love one another" John 13:34