Sad News

I was going to write an uplifting note this week with more links to books and interviews.

However, I received the news yesterday that my sister had passed away from cancer. While we were expecting this, it still was not welcome news. I was hoping she’d hold out until her birthday in March.

She worked really hard for FAP (a hereditary bowel cancer), helping a large number of people along the way. She had a strong tie to WEHI after working on various projects as a consumer advocate and consultant with them through the Cancer Council of Victoria.

Elaine touched a great many hearts, some of whom have reached out through the various FAP groups on Facebook. She was a gentle soul who meant much to a lot of people.

I remember when Countdown first came on the ABC back in the 70s. Dad and mum had a little black and white television in their room and the night that Countdown was on, we’d have tea a little earlier so Elaine and I could go watch Countdown in their room. It was a time of bonding for the two of us.

She called herself, and I have to agree, a long-term survivor of FAP as the cancer she had was not related to FAP. It was fast-acting and aggressive and she only went into hospital 2 weeks before her death.

Right up until a week ago she was bright, positive and still making jokes with the nursing staff.

One of the things Elaine loved when she was younger was skiing. She would go up to the snowfields every winter and spend at least 2 weeks there. She even travelled over to the US in 1978 to ski on Vermont.

I like to think that she is somewhere skiing to her heart’s content. Life is a lot different without her, even though we were 4k kilometres apart. Ski on, Elaine, and watch out for those ice patches!