Today, in honor of Pink Week at Lex What Wear and to play just a small role in furthering breast cancer awareness, we are paying tribute to a remarkable family friend who, although she lost her battle with the disease, lived her life fully and inspired all of those who knew her. That friend is Marianne Kapnas Edwards – a daughter, wife, mother and friend. Marianne lived in Versailles with her husband John. She has one son, Jeremy, and daughter-in-law, Emily (Brown), and a whole lot of family and friends who continue to remember her and the impact she had on their lives. (Proof of that impact is the photo above, from Jeremy’s and Emily’s wedding, as their wedding party shows off bracelets with her initials on them that came to symbolize “Marianne’s Army” of supporters as she battled the disease.)

Those who knew Marianne knew that there was one thing central in her life – her faith in God. She always wore a gold cross necklace as a testament to that faith. Through faith and with the love of her family and friends, that she weathered the storms of life with grace and class. That’s the way she did most things – with grace and class. She had an easy-going, non-pretentious way about her that showed inside and out. I think that’s probably what endeared us all.

The pictures here are from Jeremy’s and Emily’s wedding in 2009, just two months before she passed away. Jeremy and Emily shared these photos as a way of showing that, even in the final stages of her life, she carried herself with her trademark grace and class. As you’ll read in the paragraphs that follow – written by Jeremy – Marianne wanted nothing more than to see him and Emily walk down the aisle together. She got that wish. Marianne was 51 years old.

“Breast cancer is prevalent in my family, having lost my mom and her sister, my aunt, both to the dreaded disease. I’ve seen firsthand the toll it can take, but I’ve also seen and been inspired by incredible strength from these two women.

“Mom was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in December 2005 (my senior year of college). She was almost two years cancer free (which would have put the cancer in remission), but we found out the cancer had spread to her liver, lungs, spine, and brain in November 2007. Mom passed on June 30, 2009, after almost four years of battling the disease. Doctors had given her a maximum of five years – we were blessed to have her as long as we did, esepcially since her quality of life was not terrible through out it all.

“Mom was a very strong believer in God and the power of prayer, and while going through treatments she always seemed to keep her attitude positive and her faith was stronger than ever. She never once questioned why her, she viewed the cancer as just one of many hurdles in life. She lived her life by the verse: “I can do all this through him who gives me strenghth.” Phillipians 4:13.

“An inspirational story about Mom would be from her last year. I popped the question to Emily in May of 2008 (Mom and Emily were both were wondering when the day would come). Mom especially since I was her’s and Dad’s one and only child, and I know the one thing she wanted to see was her son get married and to have her mother/son dance. Anything she was able to see beyond that in her life would be a blessing.

“Emily and I got the date set (April 25, 2009) and started the process of planning the wedding. I figured with Mom going through such vigorous rounds of chemotherapy, she wouldn’t be able to help out much with the planning. I was way wrong. She was with Emily, Emily’s Mom, and family friends every step of the way throughout the planning process. It blew my mind. She showed such strength and a will to live. I’ll never forget the smile and peace Mom showed that day when she and Dad got to see their son get married. She didn’t quit smiling the entire day.

“I know in our lives we feel we have it tough at times, and I still have that problem of feeling sorry for myself and thinking I have a rough life without my Mom. But we have it so easy compared to any individual who is having to go through treatments for any form of cancer. Mom was such a fighter and such an inspiration to me and many friends and family.”