My dear friend Tove Solomon lost her battle with cancer today Sunday, June 24, 2007.

Tove and I have been friends for almost 40 years. Tove was a very brave warrior who maintained an awesome and powerfully positive attitude until the end. Her positive attitude and inner strength kept her alive and allowed us to have one last wonderful visit and one last phone call.

Tove had a master's degree, was a librarian, an historian and an artist. We never had a conversation where she didn't teach me something. She had a way of just gently sprinkling the conversation with knowledge. I loved talking with her.

Tove was a very gentle, educated and cultured sole who loved art, literature and history.

I will be there for Ira and Maren. I promised Tove that I would do this.

I love you dear friend and I shall miss you very much. You are in my heart and I will hold your hand in our virtual pocket forever.

When she still had her strength she sent me some of her poetry. We had been talking about her starting a blog. I am publishing her words for her today.

A

Cancer Journey

in

Verse,

by

Tove Kathryn (Andersen) Solomon,

the Patient

“Cups”

May I offer you a cup of tea, or maybe cocoa or coffee? with sugar or cream? That’s what a cup has usually meant to me. Or the measuring cup used when I bake a sumptuous chocolate cake.

Then there are sports cups awarded for great feats by race horses, teams or lone athletes. That bring the cheering fans to their feet. Right now we’re in the midst of the World Soccer games. Which nation will go home with that cup and fame?

I have just become acquainted with another cup of which I did not have a clue. It only pours out pain*. This cup is no one’s treat. Capitalized, this CUP stands for “Cancer of Unknown Primary”. It places doctors in a quandary – Confronting a cancer harder to defeat.

*Mental anguish

I am going to make a donation to the American Cancer Society in her honor. I hope you will too.