“If I can save one life, then all this suffering is worth it,” Wendy Jo Blakely said when she decided to donate her body to science.
Her husband, Rusty, was not surprised by the decision. They had been married for 34 years, and every day Wendy demonstrated courage and strength.
She did so for three decades as a nurse, supporting patients through challenging times. Her determined spirit was obvious when she trained for marathons, pushing her body to the limit.
Most of all, she demonstrated her strength following a devastating diagnosis in 2018: five lesions in her pancreas, and some in her liver.
It was stage four pancreatic cancer.
Although Wendy started chemotherapy right away, it never felt right to her.
“She was ready to move past cancer, but the chemo was just too much,” Rusty said.
The couple sought second opinions and alternative treatments, but Wendy wanted to live her life her way: If she only had a few months left, those days would be filled with sailboat rides with their children, Owen and Olivia, and bike rides alongside her life partner.
Wendy and Rusty spent three months enjoying every minute they had together. They danced in the kitchen after work, rode their bikes and visited family. Wendy wanted to enjoy her time, and she truly did.
*Unknowingly, Wendy and I had our last bike ride together on Cinco de Mayo 2018, just| 18 short days before we lost her,” Rusty said. “Even then, Wendy Jo still had such a joy for life, and her gentle laughter filled the air. Her warm smile and loving heart are still clear and will always be a part of all of us forever.”
“Wendy never complained. She made the best of every day and every minute she had left,” Rusty said. “She was always smiling, always laughing, and those are the images we have of her in our minds.”
Wendy passed away in May 2018, shortly before a planned trip to France. In the midst of loss, Rusty knew he wanted to grow Wendy’s legacy. She had elected to give her body to science, but he wanted to do more. The result was the Wendy Jo Blakely “Je t’aime” Pancreatic Cancer Fund, aptly named with the words “I love you” in French.
The fund resides at Van Andel Institute.
“Our love got cut short, but some people live their whole lives without experiencing what we did. This is a way to stay positive, to keep her memory strong, and to hopefully help someone in the future.”
The Wendy Jo Blakely “Je t’aime” Pancreatic Cancer Fund is a permanent fund in the Department of Cell Biology at the Institute. It will support groundbreaking pancreatic cancer research for years to come. If you are interested in supporting the Wendy Jo Blakely “Je t’aime” Pancreatic Cancer Fund or establishing a similar gift in memory of a loved one, please contact Kate Frillmann at 616.234.5515 or [email protected].