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Julie's Blog
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Julie's blog helps family find comfort in their loved one's early death from cervical cancer. Video by tmj4.com
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She fought a deadly illness with words. Now this Wisconsin woman's mom is sharing those thoughts in the hope of helping others.
Julie Forward DeMay took on cancer twice, but two days after her 37th birthday she lost that battle.
It started in January of 2007. Jane Forward got a phone call from her daughter, Julie, who was living in Portland. " 'She said Mom I have cervical cancer.' "
Julie had a hysterectomy and the prognosis was good. So Julie got back to living, her photography career and her family. Then in December of 2007 Jane remembers, "she went to the emergency room because she had chest pains and discovered it was in her lung."
For the next 8 months Julie fought until the pain became too much. She died in August of 2009 leaving behind a young daughter, husband and many others who loved her. Now two years later Jane finds comfort in her daughter's words, "it kind of keeps her close to me."
Throughout her cancer Julie blogged about the ups and downs. Her mom has turned that uplifting and brutally honest account into a book "Cell War Notebooks."
Jane said, "I thought maybe this could help other people, maybe her words, her powerful words would help others who are faced with cancer." The book has funny moments; Julie calls her treatment chemOtherapy and radiAtion.
Three weeks before she passed away, Julie wrote about her love for Wisconsin summers. "I think the biggest draw has been the sense of freedom summer brings. No jacket, no school, ghost in the graveyard 'til 10 at night, no storm windows and I really like screen doors."
At the core of the book is Julie's honesty. She contracted one of the high risk strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV, which causes cervical cancer.
Dr. Janet Rader is chair of OB/GYN at Froedtert and The Medical College of Wisconsin. She hopes the word is getting out about Gardisil, the vaccination that prevents HPV the cause of most cervical cancers. Dr. Rader also emphasizes the need for better treatments. "Drugs that will kill the cancer cells wherever it metastasizes in the body and also treatments for some of the earlier disease and understanding who's at risk."
And Jane hopes her daughter's gift of words not only spreads awareness but also gives comfort to others fighting the same battle.
Jane's goal is for hospital libraries to carry "Cell War Notebooks." Right now it's for sale at www.amazon.com and at "Books & Company" in Oconomowoc. All proceeds go to Julie's daughter.
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