Alicia Parlette, 28, passed away yesterday, five years after her devastating diagnosis of sarcoma. a type of cancer. As I mentioned in my blog post last week, tens of thousands of readers had followed her emotional first-person series, Alicia’s Story, in the San Francisco Chronicle, which began in 2005 and continued as a blog through 2007.

Beliefnet readers who aren’t familiar with her story may be particularly interested in the sections in which Parlette, a devout Lutheran who had been considering graduate studies at Trinity Lutheran Seminary at the time of her diagnosis, discussed her faith and how she struggled to reconcile her beliefs with her terminal illness and chronic pain management. The earlier chapters are especially filled with such accounts, including her descriptions of the prayer meeting at her father’s home, and a long-distance Sunday prayer circle organized by her friends. (Both sections are on the second half of each page.)

In one of these early chapters, Parlette even wrote about how she wanted to be remembered at her funeral. A lot can change between the ages of 28 and 23 — Parlette traveled to Europe, adopted a dog, fell in love — so it remains to be seen what her loved ones will do to commemorate her life now. For more information, including how to donate to Parlette’s medical bills, memorial scholarships and cancer research efforts, visit this blog.

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