Goodbye My Friend

On Saturday I received the very sad news that my friend Jenny Chang died after a heroic four year struggle with breast cancer. She was only 28. Here she is just a few months ago outside of her home in D.C., with her beloved companion "Honey":


Jenny was an amazingly gifted and energetic individual: Park Scholar and Truman Scholar, Student Body President at North Carolina State University, and legislative aide to Representatives David Price (D-N.C.) and Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), among many other achievements. She was also a mentor and close friend of mine at N.C. State and afterwards, and she often told me she considered herself my "big sister." I owe a great deal to her, and it was frustrating to see her in such need over the last few years and feel so powerless to help.

Jenny spent her final years living life to the fullest, fighting the cosmic unfairness of her illness with grace and poise. I never saw her stop smiling, not even when I saw her just two weeks ago. I will miss her very much.

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PS: Please donate to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation at www.komen.org. You can make a donation in honor of Jenny Chang if you wish.