In Memory of Taylor Marie Adkins
November 3, 1993 - April 30, 2004

Taylor was my brilliant, beautiful and very energetic nine year old daughter with a bright future ahead of her. She was an honor roll student at Gloria Dei Lutheran School in Hampton, VA and had a wonderful life, wonderful friends and a wonderful family.

On December 13, 2002, our lives were changed forever when she passed out at school. Her doctors first told us that she had a brain hemorrhage and suffered a stroke. Three months later we learned that she had a GBM on her brain stem. Taylor received treatments from Children's National Medical Center in Washington DC, The National Institute of Health in Bethesda, MD; Children's Hospital of the King's Daughter's in Norfolk, VA; and Duke University in Raleigh, NC. Taylor was a warrior throughout her sixteen month battle with childhood cancer. She passed away at the age of ten on April 30, 2004.

Taylor was a gift from God and through her God showed us what life is all about. Although short in years, her life was lived to its fullest. She traveled to many great places and saw many wonderful things. She had an appreciation for things usually only capable of someone much older and wiser. All of our lives have been changed by Taylor. Her ability to laugh and make others laugh, her strong determination to live and love and her pure heart affected us so profoundly. Taylor has been greatly missed but her spirit and love will be with us forever.

We have tried to honor Taylor's memory since she passed away by participating in various events to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer. I have just learned of Angels Among Us from Dr. Gururangan, the awesome doctor from Duke who helped with Taylor's treatments. It is my sincere honor to form team "Taylor's Butterflies". Together with our family and friends, we hope to be able to contribute to this wonderful event for years to come!


Amy Thorstad, Taylor's Mom
www.amiraclefortaylor.com