About Quincy
Quincy Lee
March 5, 1998 - August 4, 2004

On March 5, 1998, we were blessed with the birth of a baby girl and named her Quincy Aidan Lee. Her two big brothers, Brody and Keenan, age four and two at the time, were thrilled to have a little sister. Quincy was a happy and healthy baby who blossomed into our beautiful little girl with auburn hair, an infectious smile, and eyes that shone with the excitement of life's promise. She was a loving child with a big heart and a nurturing soul. She was spunky and expressive and always managed to keep her older brothers on their toes. Our family of five was living a wonderful dream.

Things began to change in October of 2001, when Quincy started experiencing mysterious pains; first in her lower back and then in her arm. The frequency and intensity of these pains kept increasing over the course of the month. Even with several trips to the doctor, the cause of her pains could still not be discerned. By the time Halloween came, it was obvious that something was seriously wrong. Quincy, however, put her pain aside to go trick-or-treating with her brothers around the neighborhood for one last time. In the morning, we brought her to the pediatrician again, which resulted in our being sent to the emergency room at Children's Hospital in Oakland. After many tests and scans we learned our lives were to be changed forever. Quincy was diagnosed with Stage 4, Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma; a pediatric solid tumor cancer with a very poor prognosis.

Shortly after her diagnosis, we transferred to the University of California, San Francisco for treatment. UCSF became our home away from home for the next 2 ½ years. Quincy went through a very aggressive and intensive year of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Her remission was brief and her cancer returned in February, 2004. Through it all, Quincy was incredibly resilient; she would let neither her treatments nor her pain and discomfort get in the way of leading a happy life. During her last year she would have chemo in the morning and kindergarten in the afternoon. We were so willing to make those tri-weekly chemotherapy visits to UCSF for the rest of our lives; but it was not to be. Quincy passed away on August 4, 2004 at age six. She died in our arms after a very long and difficult night. Shortly before she left us, she somehow summoned her strength one last time to ask about her brothers and say that she loved us.

A life is an uncertain thing. While its length can be measured by the passage of time, taking stock of its essence is something altogether different. The Quincy Lee Foundation is a testimony to the love that surrounded Quincy in her life and a celebration of the love she made known in the world.