Joy D. Ham

06/26/1967 — 09/23/2008

On November 8th, 2005 Joy visited her Optometrist for a routine eye exam. She ended this normal day with the diagnosis of Intraocular Melanoma with Extrascleral Extension – Stage 4. She began her first treatment of 12 months of daily oral chemo therapy, this proved to be successful when at the end of the 12 months her scans showed her to be cancer free. This lasted for 6 months then it was discovered that her cancer had metastasized to her liver. After much research, she found a clinical trial at NIH/NCI in Bethesda, Maryland. She submitted her application and soon there after began traveling to Maryland for treatment. These treatments gave us all so much hope, as you may know there is currently no established treatment for liver cancer, however the treatments took her from having 17 lesions on her liver to 2! Then in May 2008 Joy received the news that her cancer had again metastasized, this time to her spine, she showed new tumors on 3 vertebrae the T-6, T-10 and T-12.

She began radiation immediately. In June Joy returned to her Oncologist in Richardson, Texas with complaints of pain in her chest and some bumps on her scalp that were very tender. It was discovered that her cancer had again metastasized now to both lungs and her scalp (skin melanoma). Joy was a fighter, and even in her last days refused to give in! She was so determined to turn her sad fate around and help to find a cure! Her faith in God’s will was stronger than ever, and she inspired everyone she met! Joy’s pain finally ended on September 23rd, 2008 when our Angel received her Heavenly wings! Joy was a loving giving and unique person, a beloved Mother Wife, Daughter Sister and Friend. All who have had the pleasure of knowing her in her short 41 years of life know how truly blessed we are and cherish our short time with her in this life and look forward to the day we can look into her beautiful blue eyes again!