Cecily’s Legacy
Cecily was our sunshine. She lit up any room she entered. She loved her family and friends and took any chance to go do anything fun. Cecily loved Disney, Broadway shows and concerts but her greatest love was her dog. She missed us all while away at college but was enjoying both the academic and social life at school.
She never complained about much so when she started complaining about headaches in the Fall of 2018 I was concerned. After a month of treatment for what we thought was a sinus infection we took a trip to our local emergency department. Our whole world was crushed when we were told she had a brain tumor which turned out to be Medulloblastoma which had also spread to her spinal fluid. Cecily refused to let cancer keep her down. She finished her college courses that semester with all A’s while recovering from brain surgery and even took an online course during radiation and chemo.
Cecily was overwhelmed at the amount of support from our community and pledged to give back however she could. She raised money for care packages for other young adults fighting cancer and sent care packages through a local cancer foundation. We thought she was cancer free but cancer had its own plan. The cells reappeared in her spinal fluid. We don’t think they were ever really gone, just hiding. Cecily enrolled in several clinical trials hoping that even if it couldn’t help her, it could help someone else. She made it clear that if she could not beat cancer she wanted her brain donated so that she could continue to help others to beat it. In April of 2022, the battle ended. During treatment we made so many of her dreams happen. Trips all over the country as a family and gatherings at home with those she loved. She was an inspiration to our community with the bravery and grace she showed while battling such a horrible disease. By donating her brain and spine tissue she continues to battle cancer hopefully helping to beat it in the future!
Our Donation Story
Cecily was always proud of being able to check the box for organ donor on her drivers license. After radiation and chemotherapy her doctors told her that probably couldn’t happen. She told them that she would instead donate her brain and spine to research when the time came.
We really thought she was on the road to beating Medulloblastoma but it wasn’t going down. After starting to lose her balance, even though scans were stable, we were having concerns. While on a trip to Disney she began having bad headaches and trouble walking. MRIs showed significant progression of disease with no other options remaining. Cecily wanted more than anything to be home with her family, friends and her dog. Her last 6 weeks were so happy and filled with love. Her final act of love was donating her tissue to Gift from a Child. Cecily continues to fight for the children of the future.
