IN MEMORIAM EVA - YCT Client, YCT Volunteer and Artist

The collage; Mowgli in the background

Eva (fictional name) was a YCT volunteer, YCT client, and artist .

We became friendly the first time we met.  I went to one of her openings and was in one of her workshops.  She was a visual artist and writer.  All of us had such a good time working on our collages.  Eva liked my piece and said I had to frame it.  She said it more than once.  I still have not done it, but I will.  She set the date for a second work shop, then there was an email from her.  She had to cancel but did not offer an explanation which I thought was unusual.  I asked why she canceled.  She had received another cancer diagnosis and was to start treatments shortly.

IN MEMORIAM ANNA (Year of the Frog)

Anna's cranes

Last summer I found myself in the hospice section at Beth Israel.  One of my YCT clients was there.  To protect her privacy I am calling her Anna.  Anna and I had become friendly and I had worked with her a couple of times outside of YCT Foundation (YCT).  She loved reflexology and acupuncture and felt very comfortable with me, she said.   

At the hospital I found out from her brother that she had been battling cancer for fifteen years.  Fifteen years.  I had no idea.  Only a year earlier she invited me to see her perform at a community center.  She had so much grace, she moved so effortlessly.  I enjoyed watching her.  Leading up to the performance she told me how busy she was with dance rehearsals.