On Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 11:33p.m., my family and I lost the bravest person that I have ever met. My aunt, Kim Marshall, fought for 9 years against the wretched disease that this fine organization is working to end.
When my aunt was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2001, shock waves rang out through my family. The prognosis looked grim; only 5 years. As for my aunt herself, she was determined to beat the disease and see her son, Matthew, marry and have children of his own.
Every three to six weeks, Aunt Kim and her wonderful husband, Steve, would travel a 200 mile round trip to Winston-Salem, North Carolina and back for her regular chemotherapy treatments, which took a painful and unimaginable toll on her body. Nevertheless, Aunt Kim still kept fighting. In 2005, the cancer entered remission! It appeared that my aunt had won. She had beaten the evil disease!
Sadly, the cancer returned in 2007. Aunt Kim was saddened and discouraged, but not beaten. The last 2 and 1/2 years of her life were hard and painful. I think that she kept fighting because of her son, husband, sister, brother, father, me, and all of the ones that she loved. She still had much to live for.
Up until the last few days of her life, when she was too weak, my aunt studied the Holy Bible, prayed, loved, cared, and tried to look at her situation from an optimistic perspective. She attended church in her hometown of Mountain City, Tennessee for as long as her health permitted. Aunt Kim was truly a saint.
To me, Aunt Kim was a mentor, role model, loving aunt, kind-hearted woman, and devoted Christian. There is no doubt in my mind that she is resting in heaven as I write this. She truly made the most out of the time that she had on this earth. May God rest her soul.
Ovarian cancer is not just a disease. It is a ruthless enemy, with a cold heart, whose sole purpose is to destroy its victims. However, it did not destroy my aunt. It made her stronger. It made all of us stronger. We will deeply miss Aunt Kim and grieve sorrowfully in the coming days, weeks, months, and years. It won’t be pity for her, but pity for ourselves. This evil disease has taken a beautiful woman from our lives.
One thing is for certain. Aunt Kim fought the good fight.
Story submitted by Christopher Watson
