Goodbye Karen

I received news the other day of a colleague and acquaintance passing away from breast cancer. Her name was Karen Hornbostel and she was an amazing person with an incredible spirit. This photo was taken for a 2001 USA Today article featuring Karen and her remedy for dealing with cancer treatment:

"Originally diagnosed in August 1993, Hornbostel went through a mastectomy and chemotherapy at age 40 and had recurrences in 1997 and '98. More symptoms prompted her to go back on chemo last April. 'It's a low dose, and I seem to be responding well," she says. 'I may be in some kind of treatment on and off for the rest of my life, but as long as I can stay strong, then hopefully I can keep cruising till I'm 90."

Karen was in cancer treatment since then, pretty regularly. Not one to let life pass by, she also founded and worked through the rest of her life for Summit Cancer Exercise Program, a six-month program for cancer survivors to help them regain their strength and boost their physical well-being. We were often co-grantees at foundation events around Denver. Sometimes she'd come to those grant award ceremonies with pink hair, other times blue and spiked. She never stopped living, no matter what. And in these past years, even though the ravages of cancer were quite apparent, Karen was always the liveliest person in the room.

Karen and her passing remind me why I decided to make this move to New Zealand. LIVE YOUR LIFE, life every day fully, live how you want to live, take risks and reap rewards. You never know until you try. Life should be full of risk. Don't let days and days pass you by before you know where the time has gone. Live every day as if it were your last.

Enough platitudes for you? They are platitudes for a reason, the are true, true, true. Bye, Karen, I'm glad I knew you.