Le Monde de Fromage de Kate

Sydney Ann Samuelson Riggs

December 7, 1944 – June 18, 2005

People often say in these circumstances, “I have no words…” I certainly feel that way at heart, but nonetheless I do have, perhaps, ill-chosen and inadequate words. Here’s an edited (sorry – not shorter) version of my entry in Syd’s Legacy guestbook as well as a follow-up entry. Here, too, is her Obituary.

Please Wear Yellow with Lance! Buy a Live Strong Wristband benefiting the Lance Armstrong Foundation and show your support for cancer survivors, cancer education and cancer research.

I wear yellow; the Live Strong wristband was my very best gift this Christmas.

Young, YOUNG Dad

My father survived “cancer-free” for 14 years after second stage prostate cancer (and after a radical prostatectomy when he was only in his 40’s). But that cancer has suddenly returned and has inundated his bones. “Opportunistic Cells,” they call them. Indeed – they are absolutely everywhere.

So, I wear yellow. I wear it in fond memory of Helen Pawlowski and Joan Koralewski, other dear mothers of my growing up, who died too, too soon of merciless organ cancers. I wear yellow for Pamela and Janae (and their families) – my “brat pack” sisters forever and always. I never take the time to tell them how much I love them.

Simon Craig Vodosek
May 17, 1997 – August 6, 2004

I wear yellow in memory of Simon Vodosek, an 8-year-old boy who spent half of his short life with neuroblastoma and still managed to teach and enrich the lives of everyone he met (and continues to do so with his legacy). I wear yellow for Mary, Markus and Miriam, Simon’s family. They are truly “survivors.” Mary sent emails to ME during the time Simon was dying, concerned about how I was doing.

The Gorgeous Bride and Her Father

I wear yellow in memory of Laurie Walker, mother to my sister-in-law, who made every single one of her only daughter’s wedding invitations by hand and helped choose the gorgeous crimson wedding dress – yet she could not be at the wedding because of her disease. Nevertheless, her presence touched everyone there; the officiant (okay – me) only got through one line of the service before crying. Laurie died on September 17, 2004, almost exactly a month after the wedding, having survived eight long years of leukemia/lymphoma. I wear yellow for Ashley and her family, who managed to celebrate and grieve, simultaneously, with such dignity. I CAN wear yellow because of Ashley. Thank you for the bracelet, Ashley.

And, yes, I wear yellow in memory of Mister Rogers, the most gentle, honest and kind icon of my childhood, who died on February 27, 2003 after battling stomach cancer. “Mister” Fred Rogers supported my creativity, my whimsy and my love of music. Most importantly, Fred Rogers taught everyone, by perfect example, and best said in his own words, “I feel the greatest gift we can give to anybody is the gift of our honest self.”

This Logo Goes On T-Shirts Every Christmas
(Hopefully with more discovered genes added)

I wear yellow, also, in hope and support of Dr. Lisa Cannon-Albright, director of Genetic Epidemiology at the University of Utah and former director of the now defunct Genetic Research (where I worked for five years). She was one of the key players in the discovery of the two first breast cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2), a prostate cancer gene (p16) and several others. Now, in what could be the ultimate definition of irony, she suffers from breast cancer herself. And I wear yellow to support the work that she and her colleagues around the world (some of them my dear friends) do every day to decipher the mysteries of cancer and other diseases.

But mostly, and foremost, with all my heart, I wear yellow in support and love of my father and in the hope that he survives enough of the future to do all the things he cares for most.

My Father Doing What He Loves Best

(Being The World’s Best Grandpa)

Simon died earlier today (yesterday, technically). What a very brave boy.
Simon Craig Vodosek

May 17, 1997 – August 6, 2004

Below is a picture from December, 2001 at the time he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Having only met him in 2003 – 2004, I hadn’t known he’d ever had such wonderfully brown, wild curly hair (like the rest of his family). I love it.

Here is Simon’s Obituary and a
follow-up article from the Salt Lake Tribune.

Today was also my third, tenth and last wedding anniversary, depending on how you look at it.

I am not brave.

This is Miriam (forgive the camera phone picture – she is ever so much cuter than that – and less fuzzy). She is four and “three quarters” years old. She’s holding a sticky note upon which she learned in about two seconds to write my name. I’ve been acquainted with her family for a year or so now. Read about her family and her brother Simon. Therein lies the perspective.

Simon’s Place