The family arrived with Jacquie at 2:30 a.m. and treatment began instantly. Within 12 hours, she began receiving chemo for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, (ALL) and was put on an immediate national search to find a match for a bone marrow & stem cell transplant. Fundraising efforts and a benefit with free bone marrow testing were set up in order to help. A donor was eventually located and Jacquie was admitted into MemorialSloan-Kettering CancerCenter in Manhattan NYC on February 11, 2008.

There, Jacquie continued the fight of her life and received a genetic altering bone marrow & stem cell transplant. Eleven days short of her anticipated discharge date, the family received some very devastating news, her cancer had returned. Now, back at home in Buffalo, Jacquie was admitted back into Roswell Park where she faced her greatest challenge, a second time.

With her body left bruised and beaten from the first transplant, Jacquie rallied and fought back through fevers, infections, shots, pills and more hospital stays in order to prepare herself for a second transplant. Through it all, she narrowly missed a very important window of opportunity to be able to receive her second transplant. However, along with some instrumental nurses and doctors, Jacquie, her donor and her medical team all made it to transplant.

This time, Jacquie began to experience a significant amount of Graft vs. Host Disease (GVHD) resulting from the second transplant. She had trouble breathing and her organs began to shut down from all the built up radiation, chemotherapy and medication she had received.

Jacquie was taken to the Intensive Care Unit at Roswell Park where she spent weeks on a ventilator in a drug induced coma and fighting for her life. Her breathing steadily improved to a level where she was released from the ICU. Unfortunately, days later on Sept. 6 2008, with her family at her side, the effects of GVHD, organ failure and the returning cancer proved to be too much for her body to handle. At 8:30 p.m. with her parents, brother and family at her side, Jacquie took her last breath and calmly passed with a smile on her face. Her smile, one that thousands of people knew and loved meant that she was free of cancer and finally at peace.

Jacquie was a 23 year old student at Geneseo State University. She finished her classes in May of 2007 and was just 2 months short of completing her student teaching and receiving a degree in early childhood education. Jacquie was a caring, bright and thoughtful person whose presence and smile could brighten even the darkest day. She was also a miracle worker when it came to children. Her natural abilities and her patient disposition allowed her to reach children on a level that no one else could. Whether in the gym or in the classroom, Jacquie’s true calling in life was to educate and better the lives of children. Even while undergoing chemotherapy at Roswell Park, she made everyone aware she would be much happier if put on the pediatric floor. Once her room was moved, she wasted no time meeting the children and making friends. Helping to make sno-kones and coloring pictures was a way for both her and the children find some level of comfort. Her laugh and her smiles continued every day as did her strong will to fight. Along with her IV and pump, Jacquie walked miles around the 6th floor with a level of determination rarely seen in someone so young.