RONA WELLS’ STORY
On Easter Sunday, 2000, Rona Wells was feeling breathless and bloated, serious enough for her to ask to be taken to the emergency unit of the local hospital. Chest x-rays revealed a significant amount of fluid in the pleural space. Further examination showed the fluid contained cancerous cells. No tumor was found despite 10 days of testing with MRIs and scans all over her body. Baffled, the team of doctors studying her case opted for the removal of her ovaries and although pristine in appearance, pathology revealed malignant cells. Removal of the omentum finally revealed a tumor undetected by previous test methods. The diagnosis was now easy, ovarian cancer, Stage IV.
A resident of Saratoga, California, Rona spent her life caring for her husband of 45 years, George; her 3 children, Carole Ann, George, Jr., and Neil Stewart; their respective wives and husband, Kimberly, Jeannine, and Michael; and her 3 grandchildren, Caleigh Rae, Georgie and Jacqueline. She took up golf in her late 30s when she and George joined the La Rinconada Country Club in 1977. By the mid-80s, she became Club Champion for two years in a row. For many years she wrote a column in the La Rinconada monthly magazine. She was a gifted writer and humorist.
Rona was a fabulous cook, loved to entertain, to travel, to play bridge, and administered to her pets and grandchildren with loving care. She dedicated herself to improving other people’s lives. She was nominated “The Sunshine Girl” at her country club and in this role called and wrote cards to people in need of comfort. She did this with great love, even during the 4-year period of her illness when she was exhausted and suffering from the side effects of her treatments.
She was quite simply, one great human being.