My mom, Diana, was diagnosed with IIIC ovarian cancer in May 1995. Like so many at this time she was misdiagnosed and the cancer was found by accident. The doctors determined her problem was her gallbladder, a “simple” in and out procedure…until theyopened her up.

She was 50 years old, just graduated from college and had landed the job of her dreams as a kindergarten teacher. The doctors told her that there was one chemo that was producing great results and at her advanced stage they felt this was her only choice. She turned out to be allergic to the chemo and almost died at the office. The doctors felt at this point that they could just slow the cancer but did not have high hopes of remission. My mom told them she had no intention of dying; she had her students to teach and was not going anywhere until she saw me have my first child. At the time I was 23. My mom and I graduated from college together and I had no plans of getting married anytime soon.

It was this determination that kept my mom alive for almost 9 years. In December 2003 when my mom’s health was rapidly depleting, I found out that I was pregnant. My husband and I went to the hospital and told my parents in hopes that she could just hang on for the baby. She hung on as long as she could. On January 12th the hospital gave me a sonogram so my mom could see her grandbaby and the next day she slipped into coma.

We named our little girl Diana in my Mom’s honor.

Story submitted by Jennifer Ranke