Hannah’s daddy was a teacher who barely made money to raise his six kids. Hannah wore -me-downs from her older sisters. For Christmas she usually used dolls and books. As a child, she to have the beautiful clothes, cars, and homes she often saw on TV and in magazines.

years after she graduated from college, she became -owner of a successful interior decorating business in Manhattan. life became what she had dreamed about as little girl. A successful business woman, she had handsome, wealthy fiancé. She owned her own co-op Central Park. She took skiing vacations in the and exotic cruises in the summer. At the of 30, Hannah was on top of the .

Then she underwent a routine health checkup, and perfect world crumbled. Her doctor told her that had pancreatic cancer. Surgery was necessary to determine much the cancer had spread. Hannah was operated a week later. The surgeon suspected that cancer spread to vital organs. Ten days later, the confirmed his suspicions.

Hannah’s doctor said he could her with chemotherapy and painkillers, but it was a matter of time before the cancer killed . She asked how much time. He guessed that had less than a year to live. How this be, Hannah wondered. Doesn’t this always happen someone else?

A couple of weeks later, she another cancer specialist. He examined her and read medical and lab reports. He said he agreed her surgeon. “If you have any once-in-a-lifetime plans, them now,” he advised.

Instead, Hannah spent her months in her co-op, tended to by hospice . Her family and friends visited her regularly. The before she died, she opened her eyes and to say something to her fiancé. She squeezed hand weakly.

“She was in constant pain,” her said. “At the end, she could barely whisper. weighed 80 pounds when she died. I can’t that God allows things like this to happen people.”