Honored Kid

Mary Beth Ricken

Mary Beth Ricken Kid Photo

Location

Saint Louis, MO, US

Diagnosis

Brain or spinal cord tumor

Date of Diagnosis

November 1999

Status

Angel

Treated At

St. Louis Children's Hospital

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My Story

Mary Beth was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma on November 9, 1999. She battled this aggressive cancer with brain surgeries, chemo, radiation and a Bone Marrow Transplant. After a 14-month battle, Mary Beth became an angel on January 23, 2001. She was a very smart, caring and loving young woman. Her favorite color was purple and she absolutely loved to read. Despite being unable to attend more than a handful of days of school, Mary Beth received straight A's in all of her classes her first semester of her freshman year of high school at Saint Joseph's Academy. When she was 10 years old, she adopted her own personal motto, "Life is short, laugh hard!" and laugh, she certainly did! We honor MB today through an organization she helped us create, Mary Beth's Angels Foundation. Mary Beth's passion was to serve others, so she wanted to create a foundation that could live out her dream of helping children less fortunate than she was. We will never forget her beautiful smile. We pray and wish for a day when other families do not have to experience losing their children to this dreadful disease. Life is short, laugh hard!

The Childhood Cancer Ripple Effect

Who's Honoring Me

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