Nora’s Story
Daughter, Sister, Wife, aunt, Warrior
Nora played many different roles to everyone involved in her life, but the underlying theme is the same, she was constantly helping. To many she was a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on, an eager problem solver, and always willing to lend a word of wisdom with her calming demeanor that would make everyone feel so comfortable in her presence. So passionate about helping others that she would go out of her way to make sure that their needs were met before her own. With a Masters degree in Forensic Psychology, Nora spent years building a specialized career as a Behavioral Consultant, working closely with people dealing with mental health issues, and their families, to improve their quality of life. She dedicated herself both personally and professionally to helping others in whatever ways she could.
During the summer of 2021, Nora began developing some unusual health issues. After months of questions, doctors visits, and progressively worsening health problems, she noticed that she had become jaundiced. This led to an Emergency Room visit on August 20th, 2021, and a CT scan that revealed the shocking first view of a mass on her pancreas, and on her liver. These were to be the first of many on her journey. On September 2nd, 2021, biopsies would reveal that the masses were an advanced stage of an extremely rare, inoperable cancer with no cure, and very few treatment options.
At 33 years of age, Nora had been given the unimaginable diagnosis of stage 4, grade 3, Neuroendocrine Carcinoma, and a devastating prognosis of only 6 to 18 months. Even after receiving this grim report, she continued to radiate positivity throughout the entire journey of treatment, never wavering that she would prove to everyone that those numbers were wrong. Since her diagnosis, she faced many ups and downs, but through them all she showed a tremendous amount of strength, and even in this trying time of her own life, she continued to want to help others with theirs.
Through numerous rounds and various combinations of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy, Nora took every road available to her in order to continue her fight, and she surpassed the time frame doctors had given her, vibrantly continuing on as a beacon of light to those around her for almost 2 years. In June of 2023, she was given even more devastating news; the cancer had metastasized to her brain, and treatments were no longer helping. For as long as she had the strength, she continued to seek all treatments available to her, but was eventually faced with a difficult decision. Once she felt that her needs had become too difficult for her family alone and that she could no longer help in her own care, always thinking of others, she made the decision of home hospice.
On July 10th, 2023, Nora Grabbe passed from this world, after showing unending positivity and strength, and an unwavering faith that was an inspiration to everyone around her. Even on her last day, her thoughts were of others, telling loved ones who surrounded her, “I’m ok.”
Nora Grabbe was the human embodiment of love and light to everyone who knew her, and that love and light deserves to continue to shine on. So we honor her by keeping her memory alive and well through this foundation dedicated to her passion in life, helping people who need it.
The following are words from our warrior, a glimpse of the loving person behind our foundation. Written by Nora Grabbe on World Cancer Day, 2022.
“Today is a great day to help spread love and support to all who have been touched by this disease. Those who have fought and won their battle, those that are still fighting, those who lost their battle, and those who have fought alongside those fighting.
I pray for continued strength and victory to those in the fight.
I pray for comfort and peace to those who are no longer with us.
I pray a prayer of joy and thankfulness to those who have won their battle.
I pray for the caregivers at our side through every appointment, procedure, and good and bad day the strength to keep fighting alongside.
I am so thankful to those at my side through all of this. I am so blessed to have my warriors with me. By myself, I am one person with a shield trying to hold off this enemy. However, with you all with me, I have a powerful shield wall that is strong enough to help defend and hold off our enemy! Thank you for being my shield warriors with your prayers, positive thoughts, encouragement, and love!”
