Love of Linda Patient Profile: Esther Grassi

Esther Grassi is just one of the several fortunate individuals who had the pleasure of knowing Linda Bickel Grassi, for whom the Love of Linda organization is named. “First of all, Linda was my sister-in-law,” started Esther. “But I had known Linda and her mother long before she married my brother-in-law. Her family was a neighbor of ours, and her younger sister and my daughter played together when they were young.”
Esther, like so many others before, described Linda as “the best person in the world”. “If you could truly say that there was a good person, it was Linda,” she stated. “She never had a bad thing to say about anybody.”
After Linda was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she miraculously maintained this positive outlook and bubbly personality. Even during her two years of chemotherapy, “Linda always looked good. She was always upbeat. You just loved to visit her,” recalled Esther fondly.
Though “she really battled” according to sister-in-law Esther, Linda Bickel Grassi passed away in May of 1994. In November of 2007, Esther received a diagnosis of her own. She was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer and immediately began treatment locally. Dr. Jeffrey Tenner of Cape Regional Medical Center performed surgery, and Esther then began a series of six chemotherapy treatments at Hope Community Cancer Center. Esther later received radiation therapy at Cape Radiology. “They did a wonderful job,” she added.
Esther described her overall treatment experience as surprisingly pleasant. “My daughter-in-law would drop me off in the morning, and six hours later a friend would pick me up and we’d go to a nice lunch.”
As far as support resources, Esther’s family and friends were more than enough. “I always felt that I was supported. Even the week after chemo when I would be feeling the sickest, I would get offers from my friends or daughter to stay at the house with me. But I said, ‘No, that’s ok.’ I don’t think misery loves company,” she explained.
Esther’s savior in those worst of days proved to be her newly established Netflix account. “I did join Netflix. I would get three DVD’s at a time. I just love films,” Esther explained, proving to be an excellent example of finding comfort in the simple things.
Throughout the course of her treatment, Love of Linda sent Esther two checks in hopes to defray her expenses. “I did use the initial one, but the second I returned because I was going locally and did not have too many additional expenses,” stated Esther.
Margaret Clark, Love of Linda treasurer, has said that this is not an uncommon occurrence. “Often times, patients will return a check that they feel they do not absolutely need and will send a donation along with the returned check,” she explained, humbled by Cape May County residents’ unending generosity.
After eleven final treatments of herceptin, Esther’s road to recovery concluded in November 2008. “It’s been six years now, so I am considered in remission. But I will never consider myself cured,” she stated.
Today, Esther continues her support of the Love of Linda Fund in loving memory of her sister-in-law and grateful for the fund’s assistance during her own personal battle. In fact, one of Esther’s signature recipes has been immortalized in the Love of Linda Cookbook, compiled by Linda’s daughter Christa Grassi Nocito and sold to raise money for the fund. Her “Penne with Asparagus” is quick, easy and was an instant favorite of Margaret Clark.
For now, “I’m hopeful and definitely satisfied with where I am,” stated Esther. She maintains a close relationship with Margaret, showing that the fund’s “love lives on” for the patients they have touched along the way.