Christian Reflection and Prayer

Elizabeth Edwards

On December 6, 2010, the Edwards' family announced that she
had stopped cancer treatment after her doctors advised her that
further treatment would be unproductive, the cancer having
metastasized to her liver. She had been advised she had several
weeks to live. Her family members, including her estranged
husband John, were with her. She posted her last message
on Facebook:

    "You all know that I have been sustained throughout my life
by three saving graces – my family, my friends, and a faith in the
power of resilience and hope. These graces have carried me
through difficult times and they have brought more joy to the
good times than I ever could have imagined. The days of our lives,
for all of us, are numbered. We know that. And, yes, there are
certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength
and patience as we would like. It's called being human.

    But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and
in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days
I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for
that I am grateful. It isn't possible to put into words the love and
gratitude I feel to everyone who has and continues to support
and inspire me every day. To you I simply say: you know."

Elizabeth Edwards died of metastatic breast cancer on
December 7, 2010, at home in Chapel Hill, surrounded by her
family and friends