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Diane Blair with daughter Alice Smith.

•November 9, 2016•

Diane Blair lived with faith, purpose and passion her entire life.

She was an amazing woman,” her daughter Alice Smith said. “She’s the strongest person I will ever know.” Known for her unwavering devotion to family, church and community, Blair opted for hospice care when she received a devastating diagnosis in August 2015.

Always on the go, the 82-year-old Charleston woman took herself to the emergency apartment when she started experiencing stabbing pains in her abdomen. Sadly, doctors discovered spots on her pancreas, and a biopsy confirmed she had pancreatic cancer. “She took it way better than the rest of us,” her daughter said. “She just accepted that it was God’s plan and He knows best.”

Her family was heartbroken by the severity of the diagnosis. “We hadn’t even left the oncologist’s office, and we were already talking about hospice care,” Smith said. Since surgery wasn’t an option, Blair was adamant about spending quality time with her family during her final days without the side effects of cancer treatment.

Smith and her three brothers respected their mother’s decision. “We all believed that was the best thing. We didn’t want to see her go through treatments that would only make her sicker.” Smith said. The family credits Lincolnland Hospice for easing their worries and providing the support they needed to make the most of their time together.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.