Another angel has gotten her wings.

Holding her hand, kissing her face I wished my sister Helen Jodice, Godspeed. Born Helena Marie Maksymchak, "Helen" made her final journey at the age of 63 in her home in Laguna Beach on Wednesday, October the 15th. On her last day she said,

"I love you little sister".

Beating all odds, Helen survived and thrived 8 years of metastatic breast cancer. Not only was she a brave and courageous fighter, she was an advocate and a mentor to many others struggling with the disease itself. She offered comfort, support and encouragement; ironic as it seems Helen passed during Breast Cancer Awareness month, thus punctuating and reinforcing the need for continued and specific HER 2 negative cancer research.

Helen downplayed her terminal illness. I asked her what gave her the courage, what gave her the inspiration and what gave her the will and determination to continue treatment after grueling treatment. Her answer was, "you". She loved life and wanted to be here, for me, for her friends, for her co-workers and to serve as inspiration to other cancer patients. She loved us all enough to continually make these sacrifices. She took more pleasure in others happiness than her own.

Her life? Helen would light up a room and had an enviable joie de vivre and easy smile. She turned heads. She was class and elegance, lovely and sophisticated and when she loved she loved completely, deeply and generously.

She was a happy go lucky child, born in Brooklyn to Ukrainian immigrants, Olga and Gregory; after graduation Helen worked in Manhattan before marrying her high school sweetheart, Harry Jodice.

After a fairy tale wedding, they became the "IT" couple, stunning and smart; together they laughed and winked at the world. They worked together as a team to remodel houses, they travelled all over the world, they enjoyed meeting new people and making friends, they took up tennis, skiing, boating, golf, cooking, art and wine appreciation. Harry trained to be a recreational pilot and Helen pursued interior design and enjoyed hunting limited edition vintage collectibles.

Following job demands they lived in Massachusetts, California, Illinois, Texas and then back to California calling California their final home. When Helen was widowed in 1999 she continued her focus nurturing her sister, her furry babies, friends and co-workers, she rallied and fundraised on behalf of Susan G Komen. Helen got the travel bug! Greece, France, England, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Amsterdam, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, and Moscow were some of the few places she visited. She was enchanted by other places such as Australia and New Zealand. She was always searching for the next best cruise. Although our own family was small, to Helen everyone was family.

Helen leaves behind her sister, Sophia, her brother in law John, her Westie Belle and loving friends and co-workers and travel mates.

Although she has left us, she joins her mother, father, husband, her favorite uncle and all the family pets that gave her joy and unconditional love for so many years.

Helen had no desire for a memorial service; her wish was to have everyone remember her in their own special way. She would be grateful and appreciative if a prayer mass was said in her name and she would be equally appreciative if you raised a glass in her honor.

Helen will be cremated at McCormick and Sons Mortuary, her ashes will be scattered at a later date in a small, private family ceremony in keeping with her wishes.

Heartfelt thanks and gratitude go out to the team of medical professionals at Breastlink.com. They provided innovative, cutting edge processes and procedures specific to her HER 2 negative cancer, they treated Helen with respect, value, dignity, gentleness and love, and they helped her over rough patches with kindness, strength and hope. Dr. John Link was dedicated to Helen throughout her journey, doing battle with her side by side all the way.

Special thanks, gratitude and indebtedness go out to her remarkable loved ones who supported and loved her, demonstrating grace when she needed it most. Our mother, Olga, used to remind us of character by saying, "show me your friends and I will tell you who you are". You all a tremendous testimony to this amazing woman.

In lieu of flowers, donations will be gladly accepted at:

The Helen Jodice Liver-Directed Therapies Program

www.askican.org/donate

ICAN c/o Helen Jodice Program

27 West Morten Ave,

Phoenix AZ 85021

You can also send in your written tributes to:

HelenJodiceProgram@askican.org

Or

Laguna Beach Animal Shelter

20612 Laguna Canyon Road

Laguna Beach, CA 92651-1184

(949) 497-3552

http://puplagunabeach.org/make-a-donation.php

"I love you more, Big Sister."