Boey Byers Death, Obituary not available : Jenessa Nicole “Boey” Byers sadly died on Friday, 28th of December 2007, at the young age of eight after she lost her courageous battle to cancer. Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, where doctors were treating her for pneumonia.
Boey was born on 20 May 1999, laid to rest at Oak Lawn Memorial Park, Corvallis, Benton County, Oregon, USA
Boey’s struggle with a rare form of childhood cancer touched the hearts of people in Corvallis and across the country. In July, ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” came to town and with help from thousands of local volunteers built her family a new house on their Lewisburg property. The program featuring construction of the Byers’ home aired nationwide in October.
The girl was diagnosed with pneumonia last Saturday at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, said Pastor Russ Stiverson of the Corvallis Nazarene Church, where the Byerses are members. Boey was transported to Samaritan Albany General Hospital and then to Doernbecher.
“It was expected, yet unexpected,” Stiverson said Friday. “In the last couple of weeks there have been several instances that led to the decline.”
Boey lobbied Congress to pass a Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, which would increase funding for the treatment, prevention and cure of childhood cancer. Stiverson said Oregon legislators are working on passing a bill for more funding now.
“She was wise beyond her years,” Stiverson said. “I don’t know that I’ve met an 8 year old who could articulate her emotions like Boey did. Her spirit just caught fire, it was just very contagious.”
— Casey Parks
