Remembering Christina...
After battling Ovarian Cancer and three brain tumors, Christina past away last evening. Her battle was long and hard, and she never gave up living and smiling. The people who's lives she touched knows her determination and love for all that is with God's creation. Christina is a true inspiration to people as she always had a smile for everyone. When I first met Christina, I saw her here on Active Rain. It was Spring of 2007, and we were both on the Tennessee front page at 8,000 points. As I began to blog on Active Rain, I would read other's blogs and especially noticed hers. Her content was inspirational and quite informing about our area and interests. Then, after a few weeks, her company closed and remembering that my broker had mentioned wanting to open an office in our neighboring town, I called her...It went something like this..."Hey girl, I know you don't know me, but I know you from Active Rain." We both laughed and the friendship was on. I am so glad she came to work with us and we became friends. During her battle with Ovarian Cancer, she would tell me to spread the word. She wanted women to know that your regular yearly exam (pap smear) does not test for Ovarian Cancer, but only Cervical Cancer. As a fund raiser for her, I remembered her wishes and began to spread the word. I have never felt so good about a cause before. I know if we can reach at least one woman in time, our mission will not be wasted. Bringing together people in love and friendship is who she was as a person. She loved selling Real Estate for that very reason.
Some facts about Ovarian Cancer:
- Ovarian Cancer is the fourth leading cause of death among women
- A Pap Smear is used to detect Cervical Cancer, not Ovarian Cancer
- There is NO consistent and accurate screening test, however, a blood test to determine the level of a tumor called a CA-125 is available.
- Only 5-10 percent of Ovarian Cancer is the result of inherited susceptibility gene. Most Ovarian cancers are sporadic, meaning they occur in women who do not have a family history of Ovarian Cancer.
- Many people incur these symtoms: Abdominal pressure, bloating, discomfort, nausea, indigestion, or gas, constipation, diarrhea, or frequent urination, abnormal bleeding, unusual fatigue, unexplained weight loss or gain, and shortness of breath. While these symptoms are often acute or intense, they are not silent. Many of us experience these symptoms from time to time, do not be alarmed..It's when they persist or seem unusual that you should see your doctor.
- Early recognition is the best way to save lives. Without increased education about Ovarian Cancer, many women and their doctors will continue to ignore or misinterpret the symptoms. Remember, early detection can mean a 90% and over survival rate.
As she departs from this life, I will remember her as she would turn around and giggle, and as she walks away she gives a wink and a smile and says....Later tater....
I dedicate one of my favorite poems to Christina as this reminds me of her individualism and wisdom..
THE ROAD NOT TAKEN..
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
~ROBERT FROST
POSTED BY: Kay Bennett, Realtor®/Friend®
First Realty Company
116 S. Low Ave.
Cookeville, TN. 38501
Oh WOW! I knew that Christina was an AR member, but I did not know of her illness... Sorry to hear about this and your loss...
Kay, What a beautiful tribute to Christina. May she rest peacefully.
Sorry to hear of the loss of your friend and someone so young. Cancer touches so many. Lets hope for a cure soon. God bless.
I am very sorry for your loss and to hear this. I knew her a little through her writing. This is so sad.
Kay, I am so sorry to hear this, it is a beautiful tribute to Christina and wonderful to continue to pass the word about Ovarian Cancer. I know she will always live in your heart and many others.
I flagged this for a feature. Nothing really happens to one person here, it affects us all. We are a community.
My sympathy to you for your loss...our community is diminished by the loss of any member. Years ago when I had a hysterectomy I remember asking the doctor if I should "keep my ovaries" and he said no...one more place not to get cancer....so if anyone is having that surgery for a variety of reasons...I guess I would say, take it all....thank you for your rememberance, I am sure she is smiling and knows how much you loved and miss her.
Kay - Thank you for sharing this story and information about ovarian cancer. I am sorry for your loss and you and her family will be in my prayers tonight. All the best.
Kay - written from the heart and a wonderful tribute to one that has come to be such a friend. You are keeping your word by spreading the message. So sorry for the loss of such a special person.
Kay thank you for letting us know about Christina's battle ... I am very sorry to hear of her passing. You are a good friend to her in letting everyone know about the way to help fight this disease. Cancer has so many forms and we are always not aware of each one it can take.
Kay , I went to Christinas blog and read the last entry by Traci.. .are you still going to do the walk/relay in Christina's memory? Please publish a blog and I want to see where to send a donation. Active Rain members will help you with that I would bet. PLEASE write a new blog about the Relay for life and include an address. Thanks. send me an email if nothing else... gailnttexas@gmail.com
Gail and AR community,
If you would like to send a donation to Relay for Life. Please send to her office First Realty Company 2625 N Main St Suite 203 in Crossville TN 38555. Please make donation out to Relay for life. I will also send Kay the link to make a donation online.
Christina was so passionate about us doing Relay for Life because they have helped her tremendously through her three surgeries, chemo,radiation and hospital stay expenses. She was determined to be walking with Kay and I in the Relay in May as a survivor. Now we will be raising money and walking in memory of our sweet friend.
Kay wrote an amazing tribute to our beautiful friend....what Kay left out is that she herself has been working tirelessly to handcraft candles,bracelets,necklaces,ribbon pins and flyers to raise money and awareness. Because of Kay's efforts and beautiful works of art, we were able to raise $1000 within a few weeks to help Christina and raise awareness of ovarian cancer.
Thank you to Kay and all of Christina's AR family-you were all an important part of Christina's life. I will repost this blog on Christina's account also along with an update of services which are being arranged this weekend.
THANK YOU ~ To everyone in the AR community here and everyone who has known Christina. She loved AR so much and was a big supporter. Any contributions to Relay for Life or for her family is greatly appreciated. On the contribution, just write a note as to what you want the contribution to be for and you may send it to our company in Crossville, TN : Address above in Traci's comment and also here: AGAIN, THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR KIND THOUGHTS, PRAYERS, AND FRIENDSHIP..
First Realty Company c/o Christina Williams
2625 N Main St
Suite 203 Crossville, TN 38555
Hi Kay, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. What a beautiful tribute to Christina. You all will be in my prayers.
Kay - what a lovingly thought out tribute to your friend. Christina will be missed by all, I'm sure.
May her efforts to educate all of us on the evils of ovarian cancer not be in vain.
God bless you for picking up that phone that day.
Kay,
Thank you for this beautiful tribute. I, too, met Christina here and fell in love with her inspriational and ALWAYS positive self! She will be sorely missed here and I know that you will miss working with her as well. Know that you're in my heart and prayers too.
Dear Kay, I don't believe I have ever read posts from either of you, until today. I saw a re-blog of your tribute, and chose to re-blog an earlier post of Christina's. Your friendship is an inspiration, and is evident in your tribute. Your loss is shared here in the Rain.
Kay ~ I am so sorry for your loss! Terribly sorry! I have come across several tributes this evening about the loss of your good friend, Christina! She must have been a truly amazing person as each post I read had such wonderful things to say.
Christina was one of the first people to reach out to me on Activerain. Her group REALTOR LIFE was one of the first that I joined. She had such a sweet and gentle spirit. She will be truly missed.
I am so sorry for Christina, her family and friends and she will be missed by so many! I really don't know her and feel a little left out! Reading everyone comments and the post above really helps to know her more!
Thanks everyone!
Kay, beatiful post. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you and all of Christina's family and friends! She will be missed! We are truly sorry for your loss!
Sorry for your loss of your friend. She looks so vibrant in her photos.
What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful young woman. I got to know Christina here on AR because of her beautiful posts about my native E. Tennessee. She always had such beautiful picutes and made me homesick everytime she posted them.
I was thinking of her just day before yesterday when I saw on the news that a new dog park here in N. Texas was banning pit bulls. She loved her dogs and it was very obvious they loved her right back.
Thanks for writing such a beautiful tribute to her.
A beatiful tribute to a well loved friend. Thank you for sharing a bit of her journey. I did not know her, yet I know that we all touch each other some way here on AR. I can tell she will be missed, was well loved and respected.
Just beautiful for a beautiful spirit! She will be missed..
Kay,
When I logged onto my computer this morning the AR site came up and I saw your face and headline. I was instantly saddened by the news. Though I have been away from the AR community for awhile I felt compelled to comment. I always loved Christina's posts and truly enjoyed her pictures. She will be missed by not only her friends and family but by those of us who only knew her through her art in the Rain.
Sincerely,
Jimmy
You have not only written a beautiful tribute to Christina, your information about Ovarian Cancer could save a life of a reader here on ActiveRain. My prayers are with her, her family, her friends, and colleagues.
Kay...
When I started AR Christina was very active and we came to know each other via blog comments. When she first became ill, she was very forthright about it. She always remained upbeat and positive.
Your tribute brought tears to my eyes. I knew that she was a special person, but you put it into words that made it apparent to everyone here in the AR family.
My heartfelt condolences to all that loved her. I will miss her.
I did not know Christina, but here spirit shines through in your lovely tribute. I think the information you provided is on ovarian cancer is so important. There is not much information out there. Christina will be missed, but her spirit will live on.
This is a special tribute to a lady who was obviously special in many ways. We share your loss and our prayers are with her family and friends.
My prayers are with you and her family. GOD BLESS CHRISTINA!!
Thank you for writing a beautiful post, and the facts about ovarian cancer which are so important. God Bless, and I too believe she does live on.
What a beautiful story of life. You were a friend to tell her story... a story of a woman who I know loved life. She is a beautiful person and I now have a memory of my own about her. Thanks so much for your words.
To coin a phrase that I heard before, Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift. Its the present.
This article reminds all of us to live each day as if it were our last.
Thank you very much for this post.
Larry Stanul
I still can't believe it. Thank you so much for the beautiful tribute and good luck with your fundraising! I have been so sad since I heard the news and my heart goes out to you all and her family.
Rest in Peace Christina.
hi Kay,
I was very saddened to hear of Christina's passing. She was a wonderful person and a very giving spirit and I enjoyed getting to know her on AR through her group, REALTOR LIFE. My condolences go out to all of her family and friends....
Jo
...another post on a wonderful soul who has lost their life to cancer. I am so, so sorry to hear this. Thank you, however, for sharing this story, and for the giving us the "signs" we women should watch for regarding this horrible cancer.
I'm so sorry....I hope that all the love coming your way today is of some comfort!
I am sorry for you loss of such a great friend. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
So sorry for the loss for your friend. Your fondness of her shows through in your post. She sounds like a beautiful soul. You post has touched many here on AR and the information you provided on ovarian cancer is very much needed. Thank you. My prayers are with you.
Sorry for your loss, I feel we never have enough friends to loose one.
I read Christina's post's often and could tell she was a special person and friend. It's a huge loss as she obviously touched many lives. Thank you for writing this.
Kay,
Great tribute to Christina...... Thanks for being such a faithful friend to her.
Hi Kay, My deepest condolences for the loss of your friend.....We have many acquaintenances in life but few that I would call "Friend".
Your tribute to her was stellar and I know you miss her terribly.......but you have one thing that will always remain with you and that is the memories of such a cherished friendship and a wonderful person.
Wow.
I am really sorry to hear about your loss, and her families, she obviously left before her time.
Wow, I think that's awesome that you have honored your friend like this. I once saw a full page ad in the Home and Land issue (Our local real estate magazine) honoring another agent who had passed and thought that was quite a tribute.
You are a good friend and hope you and her family all the best. It nice to know that we have good quality people in our industry.
Kind Regards,
Tap
She was a beautiful person inside and out. I guess God needed one of his Angels back in heaven...
Kay: Christina will be missed by many.. I never had the opportunity to meet her except via Active Rain. Always enjoyed her Blog and comments and of course her Group Tennessee Realtors - Join Hands.
A beautiful tribute to your friend. My deepest sympathy to you, her family and friends. Sharing the the facts of Ovarian Cancer is a wonderful reminder for us to be proactive with our bodies and to pay attention to even the smallest warning signs.
Hi Kay -- While I didn't know Christina, I do want to express my deepest condolences to you and her family.
Kay -- Christina was a blessing and my heart goes out to you and her family. We are battling cancer at our house -- chemo today in fact -- 6 years down to only 2 brain tumors. Christina's words and efforts will continue to help others.
List and Sell (and appreciate what really matters) Gary @ RentonHomeFinder.com
Kay, Christina was a wonderful woman and so sad to hear of her passing at such a young age. My sympathies are with you and her family.
Thank you for your post, and I am so sorry for your loss. I think that bringing awareness and reminding women to be aware of Ovarian Cancer is so important and this post may just help someone else. My mother passed away from Ovarian Cancer 13 years ago and it is hard to imagine that this is still such a silent disease....in honoring your friend you are not only bringing awareness but letting us know about a special lady and for this I thank you.
Kay - Although I did not know Christina, it affects us all here when we loose a member, colleague and a friend here on Active Rain. My deepest sympathy to you and her family.
I am so sorry for your loss. I did not know Christinia, but from all the comments here, she was a special person. I felt I had to write and say what a beautiful tribute you have here for her. The information on Ovarian cancer is something every woman should know. Thank you.
Kay sorry to hear of your loss. Glad to know that you both connected and really enjoyed each others company. From the tribute, looks like you have some beautiful memories to hang onto.
Dear Kay, I am deeply sorry for the loss of your friend Christina. She seemed like such a kind soul. Thank you for raising awareness on this dreadful disease. You see my grandmother died from ovarian cancer at an early age. Then my beloved Aunt Bea fought it for 10 years before also succumbing,,,,,
Dear Kay, I am so deeply sorry for the loss of your friend Christina. She seems like such a kind soul. And I thank you for raising awareness about ovarian cancer. You see, my grandmother died of ovarian cancer at a young age. Then my beloved aunt Bea fought ovarian cancer for 10 years,
What a great tribute. Not only did you help keep Christina's memory alive, but you also shared information that may help others. Thank you.
Christina was such a lovely person I can't believe she is gone. She reached out to me early on to join her group and her comments were always so nice and warm and friendly, just like I imagine a Tennesseean to be. Thank you for your tribute and sharing the news with us. I just can't beleive she is gone and so young, my heart goes out to her friends and family and she was lucky to have you there with her!
J
My thoughts and prayers to you and Christina's family.
Nick
My sympathy to you, her family and friends in the tragic loss of Christina and at such a young age. Great info. on ovarian cancer, something all women should know about~
My thought and prayers are with you and Christina's family. Thank you also for the facts about ovarian cancer. I am sure it will help at least one person if not more.
I am sorry to hear about your loss. I did not know Christina but it is always sad to loose someone so young. My mother passed away from cancer also and i know how hard it can be on the family.
Kay- My Thoughts and prayers go out to you and Christina's family.
Thank you for the information about ovarian cancer.
Icela
Kay,
Christina was one of the first to welcome me here and usually found my blogs and commented on them.
Thanks for such a great tribute to a fine lady who we will all miss.
I am very sorry for your loss, and the loss suffered by all her friends and family.
Kay - I am so very sorry to hear this. Christina was such a beautiful and positive person. She will definitely be missed.
I really am so very, very sorry.
I have tears in my eyes from reading this, she was clearly much too young to go. That is one of the hardest things about being a Realtor, no health insurance. Because standard tests, that most people get who have insurance, are out of our reach financially, colonoscopies, cancer screening, etc are often not done until it's too late. Once we are so sick we have to get help, it can be too late. I only hope there can be some type of health care system one day for us so we can afford to get the testing while it will still help.
Well written! Wonderful blog!
I will certainly pass the info on to people I know as well!
So sorry for your loss.
Julie
Thank you for sharing, Kay, and I am sorry for your loss. My husband has a college friend in her late 30s terminally ill from breast cancer that has spread to her brain. And my mom has a good friend whose daughter-in-law, also in late 30s is dying of bone cancer. All very alarming. You've prompted me to make a doctor's appointment and to request a blood test!
So very sad and I am sorry for your loss. It is such a horrible disease. The facts that you list about Ovarian Cancer are noteworthy as many times, it is already too late by the time the female is diagnosed.
What a terrific post about a terrific person. And what a good friend you are for spreading the word and in turn keeping her wonderful memories alive!
Thank you for that posting. I just lost my favorite, oldest and most loyal client on Saturday morning to Breast Cancer. We had a standing weekly phone appointment to discuss her accounts, the markets, her kids, or whatever was on her mind and it's hard to imagine things without her. Your thoughtful post and loyalty helps to bring meaning to your friend's life. It's not a small thing, Good for you.
She sounds like she was an incredible friend!
For those who survive and thrive:
'The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep.'
-Robert Frost,
I am so sorry about your loss.
Kay thank you for your beautiful tribute to your friend Christina. I know what a terrible disease Ovarian Cancer is as my mother suffered with it, though she was exremely lucky being given six months to survive only to die from a different problem 10 years later. This disease is very hard to find and often when the symptoms start it is already too late, but there are some things as you said that can give a clue to the disease. My mother's Ovarian Cancer showed up shortly after her retirement. She was gaining weight quickly, but we thought that she was just eating too much now that she was home. Suddenly, she was so uncomfortable that she said to my dad, something is wrong, I can feel something in my abdomen. My dad said no, you are just gaining weight. She knew there was something there and she was right. It is too bad that we took her weight gain to be due to retirement and being home.
You are very lucky to have a friend such as Christina, and she is so lucky to have a friend like you that so fondly remembers her in this beautiful tribute. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Very sorry to hear of the passing of Christina...and your loss of a friend. I lost my grandmother to Ovarian Cancer. Thank you for sharing this valuable information with the AR readership...you never know how you may have just impacted someone elses life thrugh awareness of this horrible disease.
Thank you for inspiring me and reminding me to smile and reach out to others. Hour by hour among those I work and meet, I never know who is hurting. Although I have a business and desire to help people with their mortgages, God has given me a mission that far exceeds business and that is to minister to the needs of others.
I thank God for you and Christina, the friendship you shared and the lives of those you both have touched. Bless you for continuing her work. May you and all of Christina's family and friends be comforted in your loss.
Kay, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Christina is a wonderful and kind person and will definitely be missed. I am so very, very, sorry.
What a beautiful tribute you have given to Christina with your post and with your ongoing efforts to carry out her mission to educate people about Ovarian Cancer! The world needs more people like you.
I don't know either of you, but do share with you in that I just lost my dear Mother to Lung Cancer on March 6th, after a long battle since last Spring. She passed peacefully in her sleep, and we had all come to that place where it's really okay, even as painful as it most assuredly is. Her funeral was awe-inspiring; there were well over 200 people who visited with the family before the service began. It's really tough on Dad, losing his lifemate of over 62 years, and on the rest of us. Sometimes the hardest thing is observing his sense of loss, but we are all here for him and for each other, to get through the tough times.
I know from your post that you, Christina's family, and your brokerage are all there for each other, and that's what really matters now, isn't it?
God Bless You and her family, and your efforts to carry on her message.
A very well written post and I am sorry for your loss. She sounds like a beautiful person!
Thanks Kay. You were a true friend of Christie's. Take care,
Tera