Christopher Reeve's Widow Dies at Age 44

[nickel]

NEW YORK - Dana Reeve, who fought for better treatments and possible cures for paralysis through the Christopher Reeve Foundation, named for her late actor-husband, has died. She was 44.

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2005/08/10/reeve_narrowweb__200x278.jpg

Reeve died Monday of lung cancer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Medical Center, said Sean Dougherty, a spokesman for the foundation.

"We are extremely saddened by the death of Dana Reeve, whose grace and courage under the most difficult of circumstances was a source of comfort and inspiration to all of us," Kathy Lewis, president and CEO of the foundation, said in a statement.

Reeve won worldwide admiration for her support of her husband, the one-time Hollywood "Superman" turned activist for spinal cord research after a horse-riding accident in 1996.

She served as chairwoman of the Christopher Reeve Foundation and founded the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center.

Christopher Reeve died in 2004. In August, Dana Reeve announced she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. She said she had never smoked.

She said in November that said she was able to keep her spirits up because she "had a great model. ... I was married to a man who never gave up."

Reeve lived in Westchester County, near New York, with the couple's teenage son, Will. She has appeared on Broadway, off-Broadway and regional stages and on the TV shows "Law & Order," "Oz," and "All My Children."

"Dana will always be remembered for her passion, strength and ceaseless courage that became her hallmark," Lewis said. "Along with her husband, Christopher, she faced adversity with grace and determination, bringing hope to millions around the world."

She is survived by her father, Dr. Charles Morosini; sisters Deborah Morosini and Adrienne Morosini Heilman; two stepchildren, Matthew and Alexandra; and her son.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060307/ap_on_en_mo/obit_reeve

and she wasn't even a smoker :2far:
but i have read that she was a singer and was exposed to a lot of second hand smoke in her singing venues. singers have to breath in deep too.

doesn't mean that caused the cancer, but it is suspect.

[zero2dash]

So sad :(
At least they're together again.

[mcs328]

Gee...there seems to be a lot in last few weeks. Sad Indeed.

[LegendKiller]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060307/ap_on_en_mo/obit_reeve

and she wasn't even a smoker :2far:
but i have read that she was a singer and was exposed to a lot of second hand smoke in her singing venues. singers have to breath in deep too.

doesn't mean that caused the cancer, but it is suspect.


I didn't know she was a singer.

I had a co-worker who's boyfriend ended up with non-smoking terminal cancer. Diagnosed Oct 04, died Feb 13 05. Uber-healthy, 41, no family history.

[nickel]

I didn't know she was a singer.



Dana Reeve, Non-Smoker, Diagnosed with Lung Cancer
Aug. 9, 2005 — Just 10 months after Christopher Reeve's death, his widow Dana Reeve has learned she has lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among American women, and, according to the Lung Cancer Alliance, over 60 percent of new lung cancer patients have never smoked or already have quit smoking.

Dr. Derek Raghavan, director of the Cleveland Clinic's Taussig Cancer Center, said that while smoking is the No. 1 risk factor for lung cancer, even people who have never smoked might been exposed to a significant amount of second-hand smoke.

Dana Reeve, a singer, does not smoke. Raghavan said singing in smoky venues is a risk factor.

"There's no way to escape," Raghavan said. "You can't walk away if there's too much smoke, and you're taking deep breaths, so that's not good."

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=1021974

[Jenny]

Damn. The poor kids! First dad and now her. :(

[ShawnLee]

Dude. That sucks. That so seriously sucks. RIP Mrs. Reeve.

[gwilks98]

Here's a related article on the mystery in lung cancer for non-smokers:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/sciencemedicine/story/9A0DB553650B53CB8625712B00222C75?OpenDocument

My last g/f's mother died at a young age due to this. Sad indeed. Very depressing funeral.