Helen Descovich: Bev’s Daughter
This is Helen, Bevs youngest daughter, who also had breast cancer and predeceased her mother (Bev) on December 29, 2004.
Toni’s Tribute to her younger sister Helen:
From the outset, Helen was a determined, passionate person with a great love of life. She was a person who was quick to smile, tell a joke, and who was fearless. Like our Mum & Dad loved nature and Mums philosophy of: Help Others First.
In the 70s, Helen developed her love for horses, – with all her time devoted to her beautiful Chestnut horse, Trinity. Theirs was a match made in heaven. He would courageously swim through murky, eel infested dams with a gaggle of girls giggling hysterically, as we clutched at his mane and tail to stay afloat. And with his goofy nature on top of all this – he was very much like Helen herself!!
In 1996, Helen met and married Greg Descovich. Over the years, Helen retained her passion for horses and for riding, then began competing in a number of different events locally (in Australia). She also developed a sidelong passion for travel that took her as far as Europe to watch the World Equestrian Games. She happily dragged Greg to many parts of Australia and the world!
Helen saw each day as a journey. Along her journey she inspired many people. Her ability to smile and make jokes when she was in great pain, was humbling to those of us who sometimes struggle to cope with the pressures of everyday life. Her positive outlook throughout her illness, despite loosing her hair, despite loosing her independence – which she so fiercely fought to keep – even despite loosing her ability to ride, was nothing short of courageous. And she still had the strength of will to take Greg on holidays to New Zealand, Melbourne, & Cairns, (to name but a few) in between series of chemotherapy! Im sure she was on a first name basis with the concierge staff in a lot of different parts of the world! Her motto was: Make Every Day Count, Dont Count Every Day.
Helen left us on the 29th December, 2004 after a long battle with metastatic breast cancer.
Helen, you will be with me forever. I will feel your strength in the tallest trees. I will feel your free spirit in the beautiful sea eagles hovering over the cliffs on Moffat Headland. I will feel your fierce determination in my beautiful children. And I will hear your bubbling laughter, and see you as a teenager: freckled face red from the sun, with the wind whipping your long dark hair, galloping bareback, running free…when ever I feel absolute happiness & joy.
The following thoughts were found in Helens journal the day after she passed away. We thought she would like us to share them with you:
Journey every Day
Give gratitude everyday to something.
Counsel people from the soul & heart.
Dont wear yourself out and dont think that you
are the only one who can care for people like you do.
Understand they have responsibilities to themselves.
People show they care in different ways – you can accept this.
Forgive people when you need to.
Say what needs to be said, when it needs to be said.
Let the past be the past.
Go for it.