FormerstudentleaveslastingImpression

JACKIE, page 1

'til Dawn benefit speech.

Last year. Freese was a speaker at the first annual Up 'til Dawn benefit dinner, held in April of 2005. "She stood proud in front of a crowded room speaking about her experitrnces about having cancer. I remember that she was funny and witty but also truthful. She talked about chemo being the worst thing to experience, but with the help of her family and friends. she was able to smile everyday," Marcy said.

This was the day Rodney Stockett, the executive chef of the dining services at Cabrini College, met Freese. "I asked her, 'How you doing?' She said, 'Well I ate today.' She ate chicken salad on a croissant," he said, "It struck me how we take things for grant• ed. In all my conversations with her, I never heard her complain." Stockett was speechless when he heard the news ofFreese's death. "And that doesn't happen often." he said.

Freese had to endure several low doses of chemotherapy treatments and high doses of radiation treatments throughout the duration of her illness. As she began to lose her hair, she decidedto donateherhair to Locks-of-Love. "It's hair; it will growback:' she said.

Jana Fagotti, a close friend of Freese, recalled her recent attitude: 'The past few months were very rough. After being re-diag• nosed in August, Jackie endured three different kinds of chemo, none that helped her condition. It was almost exactly a .month ago when I last had contact with Jackie, the day she was told she had no further options."

Fagotti also said that Freese was supposed to participate in a new clinical trial that she never got the chance to take. "I remember our last conversation, which I feel incredibly fortunate to have had with her. I said, 'Jackie, keep your spirit strong.' She responded, 'My spirit is strong, but I think it's time for me to start