Dianne explored many intimate places while on earth through her travels to destinations as distant as Africa, Nepal, Tibet and India, or as close as her mind through meditation, Watsu, Nia, Reiki. At the same time, Dianne remained firmly planted on earth, never missing a birthday or anniversary of family or friends, always with an eye on the next adventure, the next anniversary celebration with her husband, Jim, the next flower to plant, the next opportunity to dance.

Diagnosed with invasive lobular cancer in 2001 at the age of 44, Dianne battled the physical disease with the most aggressive tools Western medicine could offer while also embracing every opportunity presented to achieve physical, emotional and spiritual recovery. During her four-year remission, she traveled extensively to places that supported her spiritual growth, often expressing a profound connection to the people she met and places she visited. She developed a wealth of resources from classes to books to providers and much more to expand her spiritual universe and shared it all with enthusiasm.

Dianne embraced life. She inspired others to live life with more joy, to live each moment to the fullest as she did by example. The small intimate moments fed her soul as much as the treks to wonders of the world. She lived with her divine knowledge that all people were her brothers and sisters and all things were her companions.

Dianne attended an Infinite Boundaries retreat for women with metastatic disease in March 2006, shortly before her death on May 1st. According to Jim, the retreat was a source of great strength for Dianne. Her brief relationship with other women with metastatic disease brought a greater sense of peace to Dianne’s final weeks and helped her navigate them calmly and with dignity. She died peacefully in the home she and Jim filled with decades of memories, with her flowers in view and with Jim at her side.

If you are inspired by Dianne’s example of living life fully with grace and beauty, you may designate your donation to the Dianne F. Lemmons endowment. You may make your gift electronically and indicate that you wish your gift to be in honor of or in memory of Dianne. You can also mail your gift directly to the Breast Cancer Recovery Foundation, Inc. Please include a note that you wish your gift to be placed in the Dianne F. Lemmons endowment. Thank you.

- Chang Tsai