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People Who’ve Lost Their Fight

Honoring those who've died from cancer and other preventable diseasesWe all die. Rich or poor, famous or anonymous, careful or daring. We end up the same.

Facing my own mortality has made me more aware that any day can be your last, or the last day of a loved one. When I finally let it go through me, it helped me accept it as what it is, which is inevitable. And thats when my focus became more about living and less about fearing dying.

I created this list as a tribute to all of the people on it. I knew you, or knew of you, and I remember you.

At the end of the game, The King and the Pawn go into the same box.

Italian Proverb

Lori O’Neil

Lori O’Neil

My neighbor. Stage 4 lung cancer. 6 beautiful children. Lori Ann O’Neil, 47, of Kill Devil Hills, NC died at her home on Monday, July 24, 2017, of cancer. Born in Louisville, KY, she was the daughter of Linda Elkins Dionisio and Felimon M. Dionisio of Williamsburg,...

Jean Sherwood

Jean Sherwood

Jean Isabel Sherwood of Southern Shores, June 9 Jean Isabel Sherwood of Southern Shores fought a short but brave battle with cancer and passed peacefully in her sleep, surrounded by family Friday, June 9, 2017 A Real Estate Professional for Carolina Designs Realty....

Noelle Breit

Noelle Breit

Noelle Yan Breit, 10, of Kitty Hawk passed away on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughter in Norfolk, Virginia. Born on November 9, 2005 in Hunan, China, Noelle was adopted by Barry Andrew Breit and Deborah Lynn Crandell Breit on...

Señor Ramón Sánchez

Señor Ramón Sánchez

Ramón Edmundo Sánchez Born June 22, 1944, in Managua, Nicaragua Throat cancer, Lung Cancer. Age 72. Ramón was a graduate of James Madison High School in Vienna, Virginia. He then went on to further his education at Central American Institute of Business...

Chip Hedenburg

Chip Hedenburg

  cancer. spiritual gangster Do not live too far in the past or the future. Live now. Very happy to be living here at the beach. Thankful for my many friends. Quit his day job and opened "Shiva's Drum" yoga and spiritual shop. Died so quickly. I am so, so sorry...

Danielle James

Danielle James

High School teacher, wife, mother of four young girls. We shared a breast-cancer-sisterhood hug just days before she passed away. She was my neighbor; I used to see her going for walks in our neighborhood. When she was in treatment, she was not walking. She had...

Magic Mike

Magic Mike

Longtime OBX entertainer ‘Magic Mike’ Stoffel pictured here with my daughter Giana. He made so many children smile. Liver Cancer. After nearly three decades of bringing joy to generations of children on the Outer Banks, “Magic Mike” Stoffel...

The Fruit Salad Guy

The Fruit Salad Guy

There was this kind man who had undergone treatment for cancer at the same oncologist as me. I suppose he noticed that the food that was available for us to snack on during treatments was not at all healthy.  So once he was better and recovered...

April, the Lab Receptionist

April, the Lab Receptionist

Receptionist at my Bloodwork Lab during my treatments. Ovarian Cancer. I knew April as the warm and friendly lady at the front desk of the lab where I had my bloodwork drawn for my own cancer treatments. One say, she told me a secret. She was...

Dr. Keith Amos

Dr. Keith Amos

A caring a selfless man. Husband, and father of three girls. One of my surgeons. A Cowboys fan. Dr. Amos did not die of cancer, but he lived his entire adult life fighting it on behalf of others. Like me.   View his memorial on UNC website....

Markie Cocsa

Markie Cocsa

It is with great sadness to announce that our beloved Markie passed away peacefully yesterday morning. At the time of his passing he was surrounded by his loving family. Our beautiful, perfect boy will always live on in our hearts and we take comfort in...

Alex Lassiter

Alex Lassiter

Alex was a sage and thoughtful person, wise beyond his years. Artistic in nature, his life on the Outer Banks was reflected in his music, surfing and most of all his painting. Alexander A. "Alex" Lassiter, born October 2, 1989, was an Outer Banks native and graduate...

Sarah Elizabeth Lindsey Gupta

Sarah Elizabeth Lindsey Gupta

OCTOBER 27, 1980 – NOVEMBER 6, 2011 In January 2010, Sarah began having mysterious medical problems that were diagnosed in April of that same year as Stage IV Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma. She underwent a seven-hour surgery at Duke Medical Center and returned to...

My Dad

My Dad

My daddy died tonight. At home, surrounded by love. He’s really missed. Bob Ridley. My Dad. Lung Cancer.   7 years later  

Elizabeth Edwards

Elizabeth Edwards

The top story online when I sit to research my new diagnosis. Elizabeth Edwards died of Breast Cancer this morning at her home in North Carolina. She was passionate about health care reform. She only lived 6 years past her first diagnosis. I need more than 6 more years.

Cathey Clawson

Cathey Clawson

Catherine "Cathey" Grey Carrington Clawson, 48, died Thursday, June 17, 2010, at her home in Manteo only six months after the discovery of a primary brain tumor. Mary Blanch and Boyce Harwell's daughter. Such good people. Cathey was born July 7, 1961 in...

Averi Valdivieso

Averi Valdivieso

A sweet child. Only 16 years here on earth. I never met her. Her mother graciously and selflessly worked reiki miracles on me during my treatment. From her mother's facebook wall on the 5th anniversary of her passing: 6 years ago I had to tell my first born good-bye...

Art Thibodeau

Art Thibodeau

Captain Art Thibodeau Carolina Designs Captain of Carolina Designs, one of my first and largest clients. Father & Husband Businessman Genius Private Plane Pilot Cancer.

Taylor Harrison

Taylor Harrison

OBX Boat Builder. Cancer. Founding force behind the Carolina Boat Builder's Association A wonderful boat builder, an advocate for continual education in the boat building community, and a friend to everyone. From his daughter Mallory: Perhaps the biggest way he taught...

Doris Claire Ridley Bergas

Doris Claire Ridley Bergas

My Aunt Doris, my Dad's sister. She is on the left. All three of my grandmother's children (pictured, my father in the middle) have died of cancer. BIRTH 15 FEB 1935 • New York City, New York DEATH 11 NOV 1984 • Dunstable, Massachusetts Mother of Joel and...

Bob Marley

Bob Marley

  Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley died on 11 May 1981 at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami (now University of Miami Hospital), aged 36. The spread of melanoma to his lungs and brain caused his death. His final words to his son Ziggy were "Money can't buy life." In...

Joan Ridley Wasmuth

Joan Ridley Wasmuth

My Aunt Joan, my Dad's sister. She is on the right.  All three of my grandmother's children (pictured, my father in the middle) have died of cancer. Aunt Joan was my cousin Mary Susan's mom. (Mary Susan if you are reading this please contact me! I have...

Do you know someone who should be memorialized here?

Fill out the form below, and I will try to add them! Include as much info as you like about them, including any tributes, etc. You can also send photos to cancerzenlife@gmail.com.

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