Kristen

Kristen Forbes 1984 - 2008
Kirk's Tribute to his daughter Kristen
www.kristeneve.org

Our daughter Kristen Forbes died June 1, 2008 at the age of 23 after fighting cervical cancer for a year. Kristen graduated from IUPUI with a BS in Business and a double major in HR and Management. She had just opened a new, exciting chapter in her life. Fresh out of college, she began a promising career with Walgreen’s in management. The very next month her right ankle swelled up and we spent the next year fighting advanced cervical cancer. I wrote her story to document Kristen’s courage. She never lost her faith, her sense of humor or the will to fight. Kristen’s own journal entries, our email updates to friends and her poetry provided the framework to tell her story. We also wanted to relate Kristen’s experience with the medical community. The compassion and support of the doctors, nurses, medical staff, pharmacists, physical therapists, transporters and EMTs were unwavering throughout her illness. I am a reluctant author; I never intended to write a book. My son Eric was dealing with his grief by going through Kristen’s belongings in the garage. One day he came into the house and said, “Dad, you need to come here and see this.” I followed him out to the garage and he pointed at a stack of journals that he had found written by Kristen. I had no idea that my daughter was such a dedicated writer. I spent the next week reading all 17 of Kristen’s journals. Two were full of poetry and song lyrics, she played the cello and guitar, and two were about her last year. Kristen had a little 5 year old friend, the son of her best friend Jeff, and she loved Jacob like a son. I thought that it may be a good idea to put together a story about Kristen in a three ring binder with some pictures so Jacob could read it when he is old enough to understand who this person was that loved him so much. After reading her story, a good friend of mine, an author, said, “You should consider making it a book.” So I did. When you loose a child, your mind starts searching for answers as to why… why Kristen, why now? Because of Kristen and our personal beliefs, we know we will see her again someday. Perhaps my next door neighbor was right when he said, “Kristen and your family have suffered and sacrificed so many others will not have to suffer and sacrifice.” There is heated debate in this country on whether the vaccination should be mandated. The Federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has made a universal recommendation that all girls be vaccinated at age 11 or 12, but this is not a mandate. There are currently eight foreign countries which offer the vaccination free of charge to girls 6th to the 8th grade. Pap smear screening can identify potentially pre-cancerous cells. Kristen had a Pap test only 18 months before being diagnosed with cancer. In her case, an annual test may have detected it early enough to have led to a different outcome. Any interval longer than a year could be critical for many women. So what is Kristen’s family doing to battle cervical cancer? We have set up Kristen’s website: www.kristeneve.org . We have formed the Kristen Forbes EVE Foundation. Eve being not only the first woman but….EVE also stands for Educate, Vaccinate, and Eradicate. It will educate all women and men about HPV, the HPV test, the Vaccine and other testing and treatments available. Cancer has touched everyone. This is why Kristen’s story is everyone’s story. Our goal is to someday be able to lift our glasses in a toast when the CDC announces that cervical cancer has gone the way of polio, measles and small pox: eradicated! A farewell poem written by Kristen I survive Every day I’ll do this till I die I must for that I’m forced you wouldn’t know I look for understanding but from who and what reason I close this book with knowledge that I’ve said what I said no doubts no regrets ---Love, Kristen