Louise had everything to live for. She had just graduated and recently married.
At 29, Louise was told that the cancer had advanced to a secondary stage. She was given just two years to live.
Louise received excellent medical care but knew that while this was necessary to keep her alive, it wasn’t enough. She filled her life with reasons to live, tending her mind, body and spirit and discovered a variety of ways that helped her deal with the challenges of an incurable cancer.
Exceeding all expectations, Louise lived another full and vibrant 10 years which her oncologist stated as “off the charts”.
Louise had an overwhelmingly optimistic attitude with a determination to live life to the fullest. She lived with absolute positivity, getting on with cancer as a small part of living rather than a life with cancer.
Louise passed away in December 2004 leaving a huge impression on everybody she had ever met.
Deutsche Bank announced they were donating a large sum of money in Louise’s memory and her family, friends and husband Scott gathered to brainstorm ideas. They talked about how such a powerful and positive life should be honoured to inspire others with a similar diagnosis. This positivity became the pivotal idea in founding a charity.
Scott read Louise’s diary after she died and it affirmed that she did something positive for herself everyday… be it pampering, meeting friends, counselling or going for a walk. This was the vision Sweet Louise was founded on.