Ron’s Story

Stephanie was just a beautiful woman. My wife of twenty-six very busy and fun years. She was a very successful hairdresser, owning “Stephanie’s Hair Design”. She truly loved her job.

But most important she was the incredibly proud mother of our three sons: Stephen, Daniel, and Kyle. Steph was always there for them be it basketball, football, baseball, soccer, or even school musicals. She enjoyed going to see Daniel in his men’s league games. Her boys were her life.

She loved to have fun, worked hard, and enjoyed life to the fullest. She made people feel good about themselves. With her room-brightening smile she would make others smile too.

Steph was diagnosed with stage IV renal cell cancer. There was a 5 lb. tumor in her left kidney. Her lungs and liver were already metastasized with the cancer. It was shocking to say the least. Even after being told it was incurable, Steph was still very optimistic.

She faced this demon head on and just wanted it out of her. Her first operation, the removal of the kidney and tumor, was a success. Things began to look better. Soon after the operation, Steph began a clinical trial headed by Dr. Toni Choueiri, at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Although her lungs and liver were responding very well to the chemotherapy, the cancer metastasized in her brain stem and spine. At this point she was recommended to have radiation treatment on her head and spine.

At first it looked like the radiation was working and shrinking the tumors. Steph was then allowed to resume chemotherapy, a new type which would attack the cancer in a different way than the previous chemotherapy. She readily took on the new challenge. Like I said, Steph just wanted to get it out of her.

But the cancer was spreading, and it was now mid to late June when Steph was rushed into Brigham & Women’s Hospital for severe neck pain. The tumor was in her top vertebrae, affecting her bone structure. The vertebrae were weakened, so Steph was required to wear a neck brace from then on. It was decided that Steph would have to undergo a spinal fusion, which would bridge her second vertebrae to her skull. Surgeons stated that this was a life threatening situation and the operation had to be performed.

Five days before the surgery, Steph again was rushed into Brigham & Women’s, this time in a delusional state of mind. After stabilizing her medication and pain killers, she was released two days before the surgery.

On the 21st of August, Steph had the much needed spine operation. The surgery went better than expected. The surgeon told us she no longer needed to wear the neck brace. Unfortunately the cancer was too aggressive and had metastasized in her brain, causing her to remain in the delusional state.
She would never be released from Brigham & Women’s Hospital after her surgery.

On Tuesday September 1st we were called into Brigham & Women’s, not knowing Stephanie’s future. From that day on we started a vigil , staying by Steph’s side day and night.

At 6:00 A.M. September 14th Stephanie quietly passed away. Her eyes were open and she was looking out the window over the city of Boston with the harbor in the distance to an amazing sun rise. She closed her eyes never to open them again. As one of her friends later said Stephanie saw the sun rise from both sides.

Steph was a classy lady, and although cancer took her life, I truly believe she left us on her terms. At the time she wanted to go. Stephen, my oldest son, remarked at the time Steph passed that Mom gave us two weeks of goodbyes.

About two months before Stephanie passed away we had a discussion .She realized that she would never work again and she felt so moved by all the support, love and care from Doctors and nurses at Dana Farber and Brigham and Women’s hospital. And to ALL the people that helped us in so many ways. Steph wanted to somehow give back.

In creating this website I sincerely hope that people will be able to get something good out of this. Maybe information, resources, if there is anything you would like to add, a story or pictures. If you would like to make contributions either to Dana Farber for Kidney Cancer research or to possibly help someone locally who is fighting cancer, or just to reflect on the stories and pictures on this site.

If this Website helps just one person I know Stephanie would be grateful.

I speak for my sons and offer a heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped us throughout this very difficult time. Your love and support is truly amazing.

Live Strong
Ron, Stephen, Daniel and Kyle