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Christine Boyce, 49 , Chicago , Illinois

My Mom was awesome. She was the oldest and only daughter of 3 in a family where both my grandfather and grandmother were Italian.

Our childhood, as well as adulthood was filled with a lot of fantastic Italian cooking and warmth and love. It was the 60’s and 70’s we lived in a neighborhood with lots of friends and tons of family and Mom was a stay at home Mom, working every so often for special events or even the census in 1969. She was just always there so in 1977 when my mother was diagnosed with Breast cancer, it was a shock.

We were teenagers and things like this did not happen when you were going through all those High School things, did they?? Yes they did. The doctors removed her breast she went through Chemo and 5 years passed and then 10 and then the cancer came back. During those 10 years though she was always fun and positive and we just went on with our lives. Children were married, grandchildren came and life went on like any other family. My mother loved her kids and grandchildren more than anything in the world!

It is strange when you think back that I knew she had a breast removed and I knew that she was always at risk, but she always made us feel good and positive. She surrounded us all with love. But after 10 years being clear of cancer it never dawned on me that she would be diagnosed again with cancer, a recurrence in 1987. Once again a mastectomy and chemotherapy, but this time it was not good. My mother was a master at not ever wanting us kids to know how bad she was feeling, but making sure we were okay. So even through the bad times she was the rock. She was very proud and never wanted to have her children see what see was going through. I love her strength for that.

My mom lost her battle with Breast Cancer at the age of 49. She was a wonderful mother and she made sure we were loved all our lives and taught all of her Children and anyone whose path she crossed the most basic rules in life; to love everyone no matter what, to learn from everyone you meet, to be proud of who you are at all times, that all actions have consequences (good or bad), work your hardest and do your best and always love your family and God. With these basics, which she always lived by she knew that God would watch over you and you would be paid back tenfold in anything you do.

My sister Jeanne was diagnosed with Breast Cancer a few months after my mother died. I was glad my mother did not know but in my heart knew she did. She was a fantastic mom and when my sister Jeanne joined her 6 years later of the same disease, I am sure they picked up where they left off in just living by the basics and their mutual respect and love of God. I feel the loss of them both everyday but I am only happy that they are together watching over us all.