Cancer-stricken mother dies 23 days after giving birth to daughter she saved by refusing chemotherapy treatment

By LAURIE WHITWELL

Trade: Stacie Crimm, right, refused chemotherapy for cancer so that her unborn baby Dottie Mae, left, could survive

Faced with the knowledge that only chemotherapy would save her from terminal neck cancer, newly-pregnant Stacie Crimm made the ultimate sacrifice.

The 41-year-old, who had been told by doctors she would never be able to conceive a child, decided to refuse the treatment so her unborn daughter could live instead.

Stacie was able to survive for five months before being forced to deliver Dottie Mae, weighing just 2lbs 1oz, by Caesarean section - and even managed to hold her on one occasion before succumbing to the disease three days later.


Sacrifice: Dottie Mae will now be cared for by Stacie's brother Ray Phillips and his wife Jennifer

'This baby was everything she had in this world,' Stacie's brother Ray Phillips told the Oklahoman.

It was he Stacie called in March when she received the unfathomable news that she was pregnant after years of thinking she was infertile.

'You're not going to believe this,' the mother-to-be had told him in a mixture of laughter and tears, according to The Oklahoman.

But over the next days and weeks, as she shopped for all the things her baby would need, a serious worry began to gnaw at Stacie. She was having severe headaches and double vision, while tremors struck every inch of her body.


Emotional: The moment Stacie was able to meet her baby daughter before she passed away. Also pictured are her siblings Ray and Elizabeth

She began to tell Ray of her growing concerns. 'I'm worried about this baby,' she said in one text, according to the Oklahoman. 'I hope I live long enough to have this baby,' said another message. 'Bubba, if anything happens to me, you take this child.'

Stacie was no longer with the father of the baby and would have raised her daughter as a single mother if she survived.

At her family's encouragement, Stacie visited a number of doctors and in July, a CT scan revealed that she had head and neck cancer.


Tiny: Dottie Mae was delivered four months early by Caesarean section, weighing just 2lbs 1oz

'Nobody said anything, it got real quiet,' Ray told NewsOk. 'I told my sister, "You have done a beautiful thing". It was the perfect moment, that's what I called it.'
Stacie died three days later. Her funeral was on September 14.

Her obituary on the Dudley Funeral Homes website reads: 'Dottie Mae was the light of her life and her greatest accomplishment. She chose to give this baby life instead of taking treatment for herself.'

Dottie Mae now lives with Ray, his wife Jennifer and their four children in their Oklahoma City home
'I think she's a miracle. I just want to do right by her and do what Stacie asked,' Jennifer said.


Loving mother: Dottie Mae was able to meet her mother before Stacie died three days later on September 11


Part of the family: Stacie's brother Ray Phillips has taken Dottie Mae into his home with his four children after the baby's father left his sister



Special unit: Dottie Mae had to be transferred into an ICU module so she could be taken from intensive care to her mother




source: dailymail

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Why was British driver offered $5m to race from the back of the grid around lethally fast 225mph Indy circuit before fatal smash?

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Tragedy: Dan Wheldon's number 77 car, far left, launches into the air after clipping a vehicle that was in front of it. Moments later Mr Wheldon smashes into the fencing to his right

The British IndyCar champion killed in a 225mph smash had been offered a $5million incentive to race from the back, it was revealed today.

As tributes poured in to Dan Wheldon, it also emerged that the 33-year-old had voiced concerns about the speed of cars and the cramped conditions on the track.

The father-of-two suffered horrendous injuries after his car hit another vehicle at breakneck speeds in the Las Vegas Indy 300. He was catapulted helplessly into the air before landing on a barrier and suffering fatal injuries.


Mr Wheldon's blue and white car takes off in the air. It appears to have hit the back of the green vehicle in front, which acted like a ramp and launched the British driver upwards

Mr Wheldon's Dallara-Honda had weaved its way through the field of cars after starting at the back in a desperate bid to claim the lucrative prize.

Just days earlier Mr Wheldon had joined a number of other drivers in expressing the fears over the speed of cars and the cramped conditions on the oval shaped track. But in a blog post, he had promised fans he would go out to win and put on a show of 'pure entertainment'.


Out of control: A close up of the moment of impact shows the rear left wheel of the green car pushed up by Mr Wheldon's vehicle, which reaches a steep angle

The 1.5 mile-long Motor Speedway track in Las Vegas is 60 per cent shorter than the one used for Indy-33 races. It may have caused a deadly combination of 34 cars crowded on the track, lighting fast speeds and fierce competition.



Milliseconds after the initial impact, Mr Wheldon's car has spun upside down as it hurtles towards the fencing. Will Power's car, right, is just beginning to take off


Will Power's car is flung into the air as a large number of vehicles collide in the pile-up and sparks fly. Mr Wheldon's vehicle has gone ahead of them and can no longer be seen in this shot

The fiery pile-up, on the 11th lap of the 300-mile race, was caused by contact on Turn 2 and sucked in almost half of the race’s 34 participants.

Mr Wheldon, a former private school pupil originally from Buckinghamshire, was rushed to hospital in a helicopter but died as a result of his severe 'unsurvivable' injuries.


Will Power's number 12 car is seen flying through the air. The vehicle was not crushed against the fencing in the same manner as Mr Wheldon's and he survived the accident

As the racing world today came to terms with the death, leading figures from the sport paid tribute to the 'talented and inspirational driver'.

Lewis Hamilton, who was the 2008 Formula One World Champion, said: 'This is an extremely sad day. Dan was a racer I'd followed throughout my career, as I often followed in his footsteps as we climbed the motorsport ladder in the UK.


Will Power's car lands close to the barrier facing backwards without suffering the severe damage inflicted on Mr Wheldon's vehicle, which is further down the track

'He was an extremely talented driver. As a British guy, who not only went over to the States but who twice won the Indy 500, he was an inspirational guy, and someone that every racing driver looked up to with respect and admiration.

'This is a tragic loss at such a young age. My heart goes out to his family and friends during this extremely difficult time.'

Jenson Button wrote on Twitter: 'Just woken up to the most horrific news. Dan Weldon RIP. I have so many good memories of racing with Dan in the early 90s, a true fighter. We've lost a legend in our sport but also a great guy.'


Smashed to pieces: Wheldon's car, only identifiable by the B & W logo, is shown in the far left of the picture. The car is upside down and the driver's head has clearly been in contact with the barrier


The severe extent of the damage to the number 77 car, left, can be seen. Wires and shards of metal are hanging loose from it as flames engulf the tale


Fire: Mr Wheldon's car is momentarily lost is a ball of flames as it hits the barrier. Wheels and parts of the body of the vehicle are flung onto the track


Flames: Mr Wheldons car skids across the asphalt on its nose having lost both front wheels and the rear spoiler in the crash. Will Power's vehicle is seen behind him against the fence


'Unsurvivable injuries: Mr Wheldon's head is flung to the left as his 77 car, now without any wheels, spins away from the fence towards the centre of the track


Medics rush Mr Wheldon's damaged car as it becomes clear that he is severely injured. Some workers are seen waving, frantically trying to get more assistance


The race to save his life: Dan Wheldon is loaded into a medical helicopter and airlifted to hospital


Proud family man: Wheldon poses with wife Susie, who is holding baby son Oliver, and older son Sebastian on the day after he won Indianapolis 500 in May of this year. With them is the Borg-Warner trophy

The former champion's injuries were so bad that there was little that the medics could do to save him. He was pronounced dead a short while later and officials were informed two hours after the initial crash.

Mr Wheldon's wife Susie, and two sons, Sebastian, two, and six-month-old Oliver, are understood to have been at his bedside when he died, as well as his two brothers and a sister.


Devastated: Team mates Jenson Button, left, and Lewis Hamilton, right, have both paid tribute to Wheldon who they have called 'inspirational'


Sheer disbelief: Brazilian driver Vitor Meira at a drivers meeting after the deadly crash and, right, crew members look at the remains of one of the crashed cars


Tangled mess: Members of driver Paul Tracy's team inspect the remains of his car



Shocking aftermath: Cars are scattered on the track after a 15 car crash during the Las Vegas Indy 300


Stunned and tearful: Drivers take five tribute laps in Las Vegas on Sunday in honour of Dan Wheldon


Dazed: IndyCar racer Danica Patrick walks away from pit road after the tribute laps


Choking back tears: Stunned fans weep as drivers pay their five-lap tribute


Touching tribute: Teams line up on pit row as drivers take five laps in honour of Wheldon


Popular: With his love of racing and golden boy looks, Wheldon was loved among followers of the sport


Indycar Crash at Las Vegas Speedway 2011 ~ R.I.P. Dan Wheldo


source: dailymail

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A day of 'gross national happiness' as commoner student, 21, marries Bhutan's 'Dragon King' in ancient Himalayan fortress

By WIL LONGBOTTOM

'Dragon King': Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck married Jetsun Pema in a colourful ceremony in Bhutan's ancient capital of Punakha

Bhutan's 'Dragon King' has married a student in a vibrant Buddhist ceremony held in a 17th-century Himalayan monastic fortress.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck wore a crown adorned with a raven's head and drank from a chalice of ambrosia during the sumptuous ceremony in the ancient capital of Punakha.

The Oxford-educated 31-year-old is revered as the insular country slowly embraces democracy and the marriage was televised live to the population of 700,000.


Ceremony: The elaborate ceremony featured baby elephants and thousands of monks chanting and hitting drums


'Gross National Happiness': The ceremony was televised to the 700,000 people living in the tiny Asian nation

Bhutan, whose government follows 'Gross National Happiness' for its people instead of economic growth, is set for three days of public holiday as citizens celebrate the wedding.

Karma Tshiteem, head of the Gross National Happiness Commission, told the Daily Telegraph: 'You can be sure that our happiness is increasing.'


Fairytale wedding: The ceremony took place in a 17th century Himalayan monastic fortress

Thousands of people dressed in traditional coloured robes stood outside the fortified monastery. Monks chanted and hit drums as white incense drifted in the air.

King Wangchuck's father abdicated in 2006 to introduce parliamentary elections.
The monarchy is seen as helping stabilise a fragile democracy wedged between India and China in a conflict-ridden region.


Married: The 31-year-old said he shared a love of art with his bride, 21


Procession: Monks bang drums as they approach the fort where the marriage took place

He said after the ceremony: 'I am happy. I have been waiting quite some time.
'She is a wonderful human being, intelligent. Her and I shared one big thing in common - love and passion for art.'

Jetsun Pema, 21, the daughter of an airline pilot, wore a crown embroidered with silk and arrived in a procession of singers, relatives and Buddhist monks across an ancient footbridge.


Ceremony: Jetsun Pema, a student, walks towards the Dzong fortress with family and monks behind her

Baby elephants guarded one of the fortress's entrances.

The king and his father entered a sacred chamber holding the embalmed body of the 17th-century founder of Bhutan, where they received holy Buddhist scarves and a chalice of blessed curd.


Popular: The royal couple are given scarves as they walk among locals after their marriage

Posters of the couple adorn almost every building, lamppost and roundabout in the capital, Thimphu, three hours drive away.

The country's airline has put on extra flights to deal with the demand of visitors from abroad.


Making new friends: The king holds a young child as he greets locals with Queen Jetsun in Punakha

Bhutan, known as the 'Land of the Thunder Dragon', has been happy to promote a Shangri-la image with its snow-capped peaks and largely untouched forests.

Tourism was only allowed in the 1970s, and when the first car arrived in the 1950s many people thought it was a fire-eating dragon.

A successful monarchy may be key to bringing stability to a kingdom in the centre of a region wracked by civil war and conflict.


Untouched country: Bhutan only started allowing tourists in the 1970s and has a population of just 700,000

Neighbouring Nepal's monarch was recently abolished, while India absorbed the Himalayan kingdom of Sikkim and China did the same with Tibet.

King Wangchuck said: 'I will follow in my father's footstep. My father set the bar very high.

'He was a wonderful leader. We will try to live up to expectations.'


The new king, a keen basketball player and archer, has dropped the family's reclusive and elitist image.

He lives in a cottage in Thimphu and often invites his subjects for tea.

He has spent months touring Bhutan's remote villages - often walking among villagers holding his bride-to-be by the hand.


Bhutan's royal wedding






source: dailymail

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Bhutan Royal Wedding: Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck And Jetsun Pema To Wed

After the royal wedding of William and Kate, it is now the turn of the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan to celebrate the wedding of their fifth "Dragon King."

The 31-year-old monarch, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, is all set to marry his lady-love, Jetsun Pema, in a three-day celebration starting Thursday.

Khesar was officially crowned the king of Bhutan on Nov. 1, 2008. However, it was only on May 20, 2011 that he announced his engagement to 21-year-old Pema during a parliament session.

The couple will be married in one of the most sacred monastery fortresses in the country's old capital of Punakha Thursday morning. Unlike Khesar's father, who had four wives, the current king announced that he will have only one wife.


Bhutan’s “Dragon King,” its charming, American- and British-educated and immensely popular monarch, married his longtime girlfriend Thursday, kicking off three days of celebration in this tiny Himalayan country.


Bhutan’s “Dragon King,” its charming, American- and British-educated and immensely popular monarch, married his longtime girlfriend Thursday, kicking off three days of celebration in this tiny Himalayan country.



Bhutanese children perform during a full dress rehearsal, for the royal wedding of King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his fiancee Jetsun Pema, in Thimphu on October 11, 2011. (Getty)



Bhutanese artists wait their turn to perform a traditional dance during a full dress rehearsal, for the royal wedding of King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his fiancee Jetsun Pema, in Thimphu on October 11, 2011. (Getty)


Bhutanese greet Bhutan's Prime Minister Jigme Y. Thinley (R) during a full dress rehearsal, for the royal wedding of King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his fiancee Jetsun Pema, in Thimphu on October 11, 2011. Bhutan's king, 'prince charming of the Himalayas,' is set to marry on October 15 at what promises to be an emotional moment for the 700,000 adoring subjects of his isolated nation. The main wedding ceremony takes place in a stunning 17th-century fortress surrounded by mountains and built at the confluence of two fast-running rivers in the ancient capital Punakha. (Getty)


A Bhutanese worker hangs lights on the portrait of the future King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and Queen of Bhutan Ashi Jetsun Pema Wangchuck as Bhutan prepares for the royal wedding October 11, 2011, in Thimphu, Bhutan. (Getty)


Souvenir badges of future King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, and Queen of Bhutan Ashi Jetsun Pema Wangchuck on sale at a crafts fair as Bhutan prepares for the royal wedding on October 12, 2011, in Thimphu, Bhutan. His majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, 31, will wed Jetsun Pema, 21, on October 13 in the historical Punakha Dzong, the same venue that hosted the King's historical coronation ceremony in 2008. The Oxford-educated king is popular in the country and the ceremony will be followed by celebrations in the capital and nationwide. (Getty)



In this May 7, 2011, photo provided by Bhutan's Royal Office for Media, 20-year-old Jetsun Pema, fiancee of Bhutan's 31-year-old monarch, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, poses for photographs in Thimphu, Bhutan. (AP)


In this May 7, 2011, photo provided by Bhutan's Royal Office for Media, Bhutan's 31-year-old Oxford-educated monarch, Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, left, poses with his fiance, 20-year-old Jetsun Pema, a student at London's Regent College, in Thimphu, Bhutan. "As king, it is now time to marry," Wangchuck said Friday, May 20, 2011 at the end of an address to Bhutan's parliament in the capital, Thimphu, that was also attended by members of the royal family and elected representatives. (AP)



THIMPHU, Bhutan — The royal wedding of the king of the tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan to his commoner bride has begun with a procession of red-robed monks, the chants of welcome, the clanging of drums and the drone of long trumpets.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, 31, arrived at 8:20 a.m. Thursday at Bhutan's most sacred monastery fortress in the old capital of Punakha wearing the bright yellow sash of royalty. His bride, 21-year-old Jetsun Pema, followed a few minutes later, crossing a wooden footbridge over a wide, blue river beside the fort.

Once inside, the couple took part in a purification ceremony led by the nation's chief Buddhist cleric before moving to the temple for the main portion of the ceremony.









source: Huffingtonpost, Washingtonpost

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