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Grace was in the hospital with leukemia. I flew
home as quickly as I could.

When I got to the hospital, Grace had
already started chemotherapy, but I was amazed
to see that she was still her usual self: a bit more
tired, but as optimistic, content, and curious as
always. She told me that she was grateful for
the chance to learn about chemotherapy, which
she had not needed for the previous cancer. I
felt that she had already learned enough, that
she deserved a break, but Grace’s body had
Grace and Johan after chemotherapy in July 2011.
Photo provided by Johan Alwall other plans, and she accepted it all without
complaint. When her hair started falling out in
the contents herself and wrote an editorial in piles all over the hospital floor, she joked that
every issue to inspire and illuminate readers. she was glad she did not care about her looks
since she would look ugly for quite a while. She
Even while working to benefit suffering was wrong: even without hair, she was always
people, Grace did not neglect to guide me along beautiful.
my Tzu Chi path. When a major earthquake hit
Haiti in January 2010, she persuaded me to During this time, we had amazing support
join the relief team so that I could offer my from Grace's parents, who flew all the way from
French language skills. That trip was truly a Taipei to spend the next several months taking
life-changing experience for me: I witnessed care of her, and her many friends in the area.
suffering at a scale far beyond what I had One of her friends started a Facebook group
ever seen before, but I also saw the incredible called “Support Grace for Quick Recovery” and
strength and perseverance of the people. I over six hundred people joined immediately. I
learned that it is possible for a human being to would help Grace post updates so that she could
actually make a difference and that when we share her thoughts, hopes, and feelings, and her
pool together the contributions of many, great friends posted hundreds of encouraging words,
things can be accomplished. pictures, jokes, and “likes.” It was only then that
I realized just how many people Grace had
In fall 2010, after Grace underwent a touched during her life. Some of her friends
fourth surgery to remove a recurrence of the even set up a website to promote bone marrow
malignant cancer, we finally got the go-ahead donation so that they could help her find a
to move back to the States. Once we were match while also raising awareness to help
back, Grace's efforts for Tzu Chi doubled: she others in need of bone marrow transplants.
intensified contacts with the press and other
organizations, organized outreach activities Grace's body reacted well to the treatment.
and gave lectures about Tzu Chi, initiated The After the first round of chemo, it seemed that
Power of 5 campaign, arranged the first English- the leukemia was already under control. The
language Tzu Chi volunteer training in Los process was not without discomfort—mouth
Angeles, and started a mentor program to help sores, fatigue, nausea, dizziness—but she never
non-Chinese-speaking volunteers feel more at complained, and she was always optimistic.
home in Tzu Chi.
After completing two rounds of chemo in
In June 2011, I was on my third relief trip to California, Grace decided to go to Hualien for
Haiti when I got a message from Los Angeles: her bone marrow transplant so that she could

5 6 Tzu CHi uSA FALL 2013