Lake City family will remember their child

By Julie Keane, Globe staff reporter
January 15, 2004

LAKE CITY - Kevin and Amy have the gift of remembering bike rides and family picnics with their 8-year-old daughter Jill who recently died of cancer.

Jill died on Jan. 5 after fighting cancer for over two years at her family home outside of Lake City.

"Her wish was to be at home," Amy said. "We gave her the choice and she wanted to stay at home. We were always open and honest with her and let her make the decision."

Jill was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in June of 2001 when her parents noticed that she was having pains in her legs.

"She was having terrible leg pain, which was how we found out in the first place that she had cancer," Amy Schumacher said. "The tumor in her belly was so large it was pressing on her spine."

After being diagnosed, Jill went through a series of chemotherapy treatments and had a stem cell transplant in Feb. 2002. After the stem cell transplant, Jill went through radiation treatments.

"After the transplant, she felt really good," Amy said. "In May 2002, she acted just like a normal kid. We went in for the checkups every three months and they were always fine. July 2003 the cancer came back."

This time Jill was unable to beat the cancer, but Kevin said that she never stopped believing that she could.

"She never lost hope and never gave up," Kevin said. "She was the strongest person I have ever met."

Kevin spent a lot of time with Jill when she was in and out hospitals.

"Jill and I were so close because I spent most of the time with her in Des Moines and all of the time with her in Iowa City when Amy couldn't be there. We were so close and I think that is what helped me get through this. I will always remember her smile and laugh, I know that is what I remember the most about her."

Amy said that Jill would never let go of her faith and she would try to go to church each week if she was feeling well.

"Her faith was always strong," Amy said. "She never quit believing. One thing she said when she got the cancer back was 'well everyone is probably still praying for me because when I was sick before, everyone was praying for me and I got better.'"

Jill had celebrated her first Communion last fall in a special celebration that was just for her and her family.

"It was getting to be October and November and we were beginning to think that she wouldn't be able to do first Communion," Amy said. "We set up a special first Communion just for her in the church. She had the white dress and the veil specially made for her liking. We treated just like a regular first Communion and had a big party for her afterwards. She had a dress made for her by a lady in town. She wanted these big sleeves that hang down so when she put her hands out to get Communion it would make her look like she was an angel. That just was the way she wanted it."

"She cried at CCD because she was concerned that she wouldn't be with the class during first Communion, so we knew her faith was really important to her," Jean Schumacher said about her granddaughter. "I love all my grandchildren, but she was such a wonderful little girl."

After Jill's death, Amy said it was hard for her to go back to the church even though she knew Jill would want her to.

"It was tough to go back into the church this weekend," Amy said. "It was hard to go in there considering that is where we just saw her last. Then I told myself she would be very disappointed if we didn't go pray for her."

Amy said that Jill's four siblings - Jake ,13; Tanner ,11; Cody ,5; and Haley ,2, are still having a hard time understanding and coping with their sister's death.

"The 13-year-old was kind of being tough - he didn't want to let anyone see him cry. The eleven year old and her were very close. They would play something all of the time. The 2-year-old doesn't understand. When we went to church this last weekend she asked if we were going to get Jill now. She then said, Jill is in heaven isn't she - she is always saying Jill is in heaven."

Jill loved to play outside and get dirty with her dad when she was feeling well. She would adopt orphaned lambs and feed them with a bottle.

"She had a terrific love of animals," Amy said. "We went to an auction and there was a dog tied to the back of the trailer and she wanted to take him home. We bought him home with us and he laid by her the whole time that she was sick. There were two days that she was suffering and he laid by her the whole time."

During Jill's final hours, Amy said that people would come and go out of the Jill's room, but Jill waited until those who were the closest to her were in the room before she died.

"We have a cat in the house and the cat is always with her," Amy said. "We all went in to her and the cat went in there and jumped up on the bed and snuggled in beside her and looked up at the sky, to the ceiling, and it was just like Jill said 'Kitty I am up here'. She was always saying Kitty I am over here, Kitty come here, but that cat looked straight up and we all looked at each other and thought that was our sign she waited until the people that were closest to her were in the room and then she died."

Kevin said that they will always remember her outside with her animals and helping him with the farm.

"We got a pair of mud boots for her and she would always come out and help me with the nursery pigs," Kevin said. "She was my little helper."

Kevin, Amy and Jean all said that they shared many special times with Jill.

"She was so loved and such an inspiration to everyone," Jean said. "She had so many talents that she won't get to share with us any more, but we have those memories."