The Borg Family Memorial Fund supports Clinical Trials and Patients for all types of Cancer at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.
Tina Borg was a Mother, Daughter, Sister, and Wife that loved to live her life in service to others. Tina was married for 25 years and was the amazing mother of three daughters. Tina's kind heart, smile, and caring nature made her someone that people gravitated toward. She touched lives and inspired so many people simply by going about living her day-to-day life. There was nothing Tina enjoyed more than spending time with her family while in service to others.
In October of 2009, she received the happiest of news upon learning that she was going to be a Grandmother for the first time. Less then 3 weeks later, she discovered three lumps above her collar bone and went to the doctor to determine the cause. After many doctor visits, scans, and a biopsy, she received her diagnosis of terminal lung cancer. The initial prognosis was grim, and she was told that she had 7-9 months to live. She showed great strength and poise upon learning the news. Upon learning the diagnosis, we immediately contacted Winship Cancer Institute to get a second opinion.
The people at Winship were amazing and explained that there is no set time for someone to live when diagnosed with cancer. While the other healthcare facility deemed her diagnosis to be an almost immediate death sentence, she felt hopeful with the prognosis she received from Winship. Tests were taken and the results were used to determine which clinical trial best matched Tina for treatment. There was a plan and competent professionals to execute it.
She began treatment in a clinical trial and within a month, the three visible tumors reduced in size by 70%. The results were staggering and inspiring. Though this meant frequent travel for treatment, they were approached with enthusiasm and an opportunity to help others. In the chemotherapy infusion bays at Winship, there were hundreds of others that were fighting similar battles to Tina’s. Tina found the time during chemotherapy treatment as an opportunity to continue her service to others. She would prepare sandwiches, fruit, and other snacks to feed another dozen people with every visit. This provided the opportunity to talk and listen to other patients, all while giving them hope, nourishment, and friendship.
Although she was very weak and sick after treatment, she continued to live her life as if there was nothing wrong. Her strength was reflected in everything that she did. After three months of chemotherapy, with two more on the horizon, she decided that she could not stand the color of the walls in the sunroom where she loved to sit and decided to repaint the entire room, ceiling and all. She spent two weeks doing it and never complained about being tired or in pain. She went on to complete her next two cycles of treatment and was deemed stable at that time.
During that time when she was stable, she went back to the chemotherapy infusion bays to speak to friends she had made there and support them with food and conversation. She spoke on behalf of several charities for cancer at their events to encourage donations and educate on how many advancements were taking place in cancer treatment. She joined support groups, but not for the obvious reasons - her motivation was to support other people with their battles and share stories of inspiration. Once again, she found an opportunity to do service for others.
Unfortunately, her disease progressed 6 months later. Despite the initial progression, Winship worked with her and were able to extend her life another beautiful 3 years, until her passing in October of 2012. They provided her with exceptional care, encouragement, and the motivation to go out and live her life. Tina was able to live life to its fullest by going to the Grammy Awards, traveling, zip-lining from 82 stories off the ground in Puerto Rico, and most importantly, being able to see not only her first grandchild born, but her second one too.
That is why we have chosen to honor her memory by fundraising in her name for Winship Cancer Institute. There are countless reasons why Winship is the perfect place, but what we found most important is that it is Georgia’s only NCI center and where Tina received her treatment. It’s imperative to us that we help our state and our fellow citizens as Tina would have wanted. So, we want to be able to give back and support Winship as they supported Tina. The funds raised will go directly to the research of all types of cancer at Winship Cancer Institute to help other families like they have helped ours.
On the outside, Tina may have seemed like the average Mother, Daughter, Sister, and Wife, but she wasn’t. Tina was fighting stage 4 lung cancer. Her passing has left a tremendous void in all of our lives and many others who were touched by her. There will never be another Tina. While we are heartbroken that Tina was taken from us at such a young age, we are hopeful that the fund established in her memory will help to raise money for innovative research, clinical trials, and help for the so many other patients and their families at Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University. The battle rages on and the advances against cancer are growing. We pray that one day patients can be cured and go on to lead long, healthy, and inspiring lives. Please join us in honoring Tina's memory by contributing to the Borg Family Memorial Fund and help further the research needed to eradicate this destroyer of families and lives.
Respectfully,
Ed, Michelle, Sydney, and Danielle
