Our Inspiration: Renée's Story
Renée Miller was a mom, a daughter, a love, a real estate superstar and a friend to so many. Above all else, she was an inspiration. Her spirit was contagious to all who knew her. And her spirit was also the reason why she surpassed all odds and thrived in the face of her deadly cancer diagnosis. She never, ever let the disease get her down. And that is why her story should be an inspiration to all of those working to make a difference in the fight against cancer. She showed the world that it is possible to live – and live well – in the face of this horrible disease.
Renée was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in October 2005. From the start, she fought the disease head on and dove right into prescribed treatments.
For the first 10 months of her battle, Renée underwent various rounds of chemo. And her perseverance was impressive. While she was tired, physically and emotionally – she never let the treatments get the best of her. During this time, she continued her successful career in real estate – never skipping a beat with her clients and her association memberships.
In the fall of 2006, the doctors decided that the cancer was spreading too much and that Renée would stop her chemo and start radiation therapy. It was a sign that she was moving to the next stage in her battle.
The radiation worked where it was targeted. However, in the meantime, other areas of her body began to show signs of the cancer. It became a cat and mouse chase and her doctors were always trying to stay one step ahead of the spreading disease.
Throughout all of this time, Renée was always a stellar patient. She continued to work, socialize and lead her family. While these treatments would stop most people in their tracks – Renée never let the cancer keep her down. She was always ready to fight. And her doctors were all very impressed. She convinced everyone that if there was a way, that she would beat this thing.
From that point on it was a constant battle to keep the cancer at bay. Everyone knew it was spreading and there was nothing to do to stop it. In the meantime, the doctors focused on the symptoms that they could treat. Renée battled tumors in her spine, in her brain and in other areas of her body. The primary goal was to stop any pain, so that Renée could continue to enjoy her time with her family and friends.
During the next few months, Renée held on to and cherished the moments of her life. She spent countless hours with her parents, her daughter and the love of her life, Kipp. She went skiing with her family, she went on a cruise to the Caribbean, she celebrated holidays, went to the movies, kept up with her favorite TV shows – and yes, even sold a house or two. She lived.
On a day in late August, Renée’s various ailments caught up with her and she suffered a stroke. She spent her first overnight stay in a hospital during her entire two-year battle. She continued to fight bravely, but ultimately the cancer was too much for her. She died two days later in the hospital, surrounded by her family. August 23, 2007.
A few days later, 20 people – close friends and family – gathered in Philadelphia to do something great in her honor. We walked, we ran and we biked and Renée was with us every mile along the way. And when our team crossed the finish line, Renée was in each of our hearts.
On September 5, 2007, several hundred people gathered to pay their respects to a great lady. This was a woman who in her lifetime, truly built an army in her wake. It is up to all of us now to harness that army and continue to make a difference in her honor. It is what Renée started and what we plan to strive for until cancer is no longer a threat. She never stopped fighting, and neither will we. Thank you Renée for inspiring us all to LiveStrong.
