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We Lost a Marvelous Friend

Forums General Melanoma Community We Lost a Marvelous Friend

  • Post
    Johnjk04
    Participant
      Just wanted to pass along, our sweet Bubbles / Celeste / Les has recently left us, for the eternal peace. Bubbles passed away on 10/23/2024. We are forever in debt to her for her endless knowledge of the melanoma world. She always knew where the new clinical trials were opening up. Bubbles, you always surrounded us with your love and compassion. I will constantly miss my good friend. Bubbles, your smile, laughter and warmth will be my companion for life
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    • Replies
        YoJa
        Participant
          Oh my Gosh. That is devastating and surprising. May she rest in peace. She was committed to helping so many terrified melanoma patients here.
            Johnjk04
            Participant
              Chris R, so very well said. We have lost such a compassionate, loving mentor. All of us were blessed to have Les in our lives.
              I am also an Ipi / Nivo 12.5 year survivor. Congratulations on your marvelous success!!
              Please check back to this site, February or March. I will be announcing a fabulous upcoming event.
              Let us welcome the new year, a time for a better, healthier life.
            Patrisa
            Participant
              I’m hearbroken. Celeste has always been there for everybody, always trying to help, listen, encourage and comfort…

              May you rest in peace dear bubbles. ❤️❤️

              Cat
              Participant
                I am devastated. I was receiving my PD1 treatment when Celeste was getting her treatment. We were both in a clinical trial with Dr. Webber, who also recently passed from cancer. Does anyone know was caused her death? God Bless her and may she rest in peace. She helped thousand of Melanoma patients.
                  Johnjk04
                  Participant
                    Cat, all of us are feeling an enormous amount of pain.
                    I received an email from her this past August.
                    Sadly Les was in the midst of her third different cancer.
                    It’s called adenocarcinoma of the appendix.
                    She did sign a no recitation form.
                    No where in her email, did I get a sense that her life was closing down.
                    All of us are so fortunate to have her in our lives.

                    Les is a superstar ⭐️.

                    Cat
                    Participant
                      Thank you John for replying. I agree! Les was Celeste’s rock! I thought that she beat adenocarcinoma. My heart is broken for her family. I just can’t believe that she is gone! How did you hear about her passing?
                      Johnjk04
                      Participant
                        Okay the details Cat! Celeste’s nicknames are Les and Bubbles.
                        Her husband is Brent or B as she liked to call him.
                        Pretty sure they have one daughter and one son.
                        Celeste was in the first nivo trial, I was in the first nivo / Ipi trial.
                        So Celeste and me became buddies from this forum.
                        I even dined with Celeste and Brent at Pepe’s Apizza, New Haven.
                        Once I was ten years remission, I left this forum, cancer took enough of my time.
                        Came up with an idea to have a celebration party for Dr. James Allison.
                        MD Anderson has given us approval for an October 2025 party (it’s a surprise, shhhhh).
                        Will get back to all 5 year Yervoy survivors later. I promise.
                        So I reconnected with Celeste in August, to help plan the party.
                        Celeste and I really enjoyed each other’s company.
                        Her husband, Brent, knew about our special friendship and sent me an email with the devastating news.
                        And now, you know the rest of the story.
                        Glad that you are still living the dream, Cat. Congratulations 🎊!!!
                        Johnjk04
                        Participant
                          Just want to apologize. With Cat’s assistance, Celeste only had two types of cancer.
                          She beat the melanoma with the first Opdivo trial.
                          Some years later, she was sadly given the adenocarcinoma of the appendix cancer.
                          With treatment, she went into remission. Sadly it did come back to her and took her life.
                          Sorry to mislead any of you.
                          Thanks Cat.
                          Cat
                          Participant
                            Thank you John for filling in the blanks. Celeste and I occasionally emailed encouraging each other when we would get clear scans. I have been Stage 4 melanoma cancer-free since 3/2012. However, the fear of melanoma or another cancer showing up is a fear that I live with each day. I have heard of others like Celeste getting another cancer after taking pd1 and being in remission for years. Every day I am grateful that pd1 worked for me while others have died. I will never forget Celeste and her legacy on this forum selflessly helping others. She will be missed.😢
                            Johnjk04
                            Participant
                              Cat, you are so welcome. Celeste was such a brilliant, caring, encouraging friend of so many people.
                              Cat, I have been in remission since August 2012. So big, big congratulations 🎊 to both of us.
                              Please don’t let cancer hold you prisoner. You beat it fair and square. Cat, you are the champion. Wake up every morning and put on your survivor tiara. You won.
                              Now go out and “keep living the dream”!
                              Rocco
                              Participant
                                Would be interested in hearing more about the party for Dr. Allison. I’m alive today (NED since 2009) due to a Phase III trial (MDX-010) of Ipilimumab – before it went FDA approved as Yervoy.
                              chrispl1974
                              Participant
                                I am utterly shocked. Celeste was the heart and soul of this forum. Apart from being compassionate and kind, she also had tremendous knowledge and gave me a lot of hope when I was first diagnosed nearly 6 years ago.

                                She overcame melanoma and it seems that she lost the battle against adenocarcinoma from what I read in previous posts.

                                May god rest her soul. Quite a few like MelanomaMike and others passed away in recent years as well. Like Celeste they will always hold a very special place in my heart.

                                Lucas
                                Participant
                                  Sorry, to hear of her passing. I was wondering where she had been in regards to the forum. She has contributed and left so much information for all of us survivors and fighters. I’m forever grateful for her chaoticallyprecise blog that has provided such detailed answers when going through my treatments, side effects and recurrences. As well as her hundreds of responses to forum questions on this site. Her wisdom talked me off the edge so many times and she seemed to genuinely care for us all. Thank you Celeste and may you rest peacefully.
                                    Johnjk04
                                    Participant
                                      Chris and Lucas, all of your words about Celeste were so thoughtful, caring and loving.
                                      Thank you very much.
                                    jbronicki
                                    Participant
                                      Oh my gosh, something made me check the board, I haven’t in a while. When I saw the title, I didn’t want to open it. It’s just devastating news. I can’t process it really, there is no truer patient advocate (and rattie) than Bubbles. She did more good and provided more information to patients then anyone I have encountered, she was fearless! I never knew whether to call her Bubbles or Celeste or Les, she was all 3 to me! I actually speak about her often in my job now as a clinical trial manager, all I can say is I hope to make her proud….her family is so lucky to have her, no words for their loss, so sorry
                                      Chris R
                                      Participant
                                        Shocking and sad news to find on a day that I decided to post some promising news for those treated with Ipi/Nivo. May Celeste rest in God’s loving arms.
                                        JudiAU
                                        Participant
                                          I am so, so sorry to hear this. I guess I haven’t checked the boards in a while. Absolutely devastating. Bubbles, you were the best of us. Thank you. Your blog and advice was so useful when I was in such a deep place. And your fashion was out of this world.
                                          sj
                                          Participant
                                            I’m so sorry to hear this. I haven’t logged on in a while. This is devastating. RIP Bubbles. Thank you for all the help and assistance during my journey. Tragic.
                                            Rocco
                                            Participant
                                              Just reading this sad news. I’ve been away from the Patient Forum for quite a while.
                                              As a Stage IV survivor since Aug 2005, I’d had email exchanges with Bubbles and often read her informative posts on the old mpip.org site and this one. She helped so many. Belated condolences to her family and all that knew her.

                                              -Rocco
                                              Stage IV in 2005, NED since 2009

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