About Laura
Laura was a typical fun-loving college student at the University of Illinois in 1992 when she was diagnosed with leukemia. She underwent two years of intensive chemotherapy treatment and, after five years, was declared “cured” in 1997. But a year later, her breathing became labored. After many tests, she learned that her lungs had been irreversibly damaged, most likely by chemotherapy drugs. In 2003, Laura underwent successful lung transplant surgery at Stanford University and returned to Arizona to live a full and productive life with her husband, Jon. As all transplant patients must, Laura lived with a strict regimen of anti-rejection drugs which reduced her body’s natural ability to fight disease. In September 2005, at the age of 33, Laura succumbed to an intractable infection in her lungs Through her years of illness, Laura‘s strength, grace and resilient spirit never wavered. She enjoyed every day to the fullest and without complaint. Her life was filled with purpose and passion; she was incredibly brave in the face of adversity; and she invariably deflected people’s concerns about her by engaging in a conversation about them. Most importantly, she cherished her family and friends, and generously shared with them her most precious assets - her time and her love. She was an inspiration to all whose lives she touched.
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Laura Hart Burdick