Howie and Laurel Borowick were married for 34 years when they were diagnosed with cancer simultaneously. Their daughter Nancy captured their joint battle with the disease in photos that show both the good and the bad times together. When Nancy got married in October, both Howie and Laurel walked her down the aisle before Howie finally lost his life to the disease at the age of 58 years old this year.
Howie and Laurel found out that they had cancer at the same time.
Neither of them expected to be diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, let alone at the same time.
Howie had pancreatic cancer.
Laurel had breast cancer for the third time.
Their daughter captured intimate moments… like Laurel deciding it was time to shave her hair off.
And then waiting to get fitted with a wig.
She also took pictures of her parents attending their weekly chemotherapy sessions.
And sit beside each other in their “his and her” chairs, waiting for the chemotherapy to be over.
Howie and Laurel kept each other happy throughout their struggles.
The couple did their best to make each other smile.
The chemotherapy was draining, and the two were often found relaxing together in their house.
Together, they shared both good news and bad. In this picture, doctors were reporting that both of their tumors were responding to treatment.
Howie was especially fond of naps after the exhausting treatments, which left him weak.
Together, family and friends were able to celebrate Howie’s 58th birthday together, something they thought impossible when he was diagnosed 6 months before.
Despite the unfathomable trials, Nancy’s parents were both able to walk their daughter down the aisle, who moved up the date of her wedding when she realized the fight her parents would be facing. They found strength together and witnessed their daughter’s most special moment.
