Jana Kelly Sheets

JANA KELLY SHEETS
BAHAMA, NC - Jana Kelly Sheets of Bahama, NC, age 35, died Wednesday, January 6, 2010, at home surrounded by family. Jana's long fight against her rare disease, lymphangiomatosis, has been chronicled in several newspapers. As founder of the Lymphangiomatosis & Gorham's Disease Alliance, a charity dedicated to patient support and organizing research interest, Jana was known throughout the worldwide patient and medical professionals communities concerned with these two catastrophic, mainly pediatric diseases. She had devoted the last 4 years of her life to the cause of patients and families affected with these rare, poorly understood, orphan-diseases. Jana was also a founding Board Member of the Lung Transplant Foundation, Durham, NC.
Jana was born in Basking Ridge, NJ and lived in Mendham, NJ, Berlin, NJ, Ithaca, NY, and Delray Beach, FL, moving with her loving and caring husband, Eric D. Sheets, to the Durham, NC area for a life-saving double-lung transplant 6 years ago at Duke University Medical Center. She graduated from Ithaca High School in 1992, and attended Ithaca College. Until she was no longer able to work, Jana was a product manager, and special assistant to the vice president of Rexall-Sundown, a supplement product company in Boca Raton, FL. Jana was a devout Christian who honored her Lord and Savior every day.
Eric and Jana spent so many wonderful years together since their marriage on Sanibel Island, FL in 2003, living first in Delray Beach and then in their current home in Bahama, NC. A highlight of her life included the many frequent visits to their NC home by her stepson, Gavin D. Sheets, 12, of Delray Beach.
Jana is survived by her dear soul mate – who loved and cared for her in her most difficult times – Eric Sheets; and her stepson, Gavin; and by her mother, Suzanne E. Fitzsimmons, Greensboro, NC; father, Jack Kelly, Boca Raton, FL; sister, Megan B. Kelly, NY, NY; brother, Brock Fitzsimmons, Port Charlotte, FL; stepmother, Carol Harris Kelly of Boca Raton, FL; stepsister, Jessica Harris, Orlando, FL; stepbrother, John Harris, Delray Beach, FL, and her two "babies" – the Kitties – Roxy and Techno. Jana is also survived by her mother-in-law, Joyce Sheets, Boca Raton, FL; sister-in-law Nikki Cook and husband, Corydon; and niece, Libby Cook of Weston, FL. Surviving relatives include more than three-score others including aunts, uncles, and cousins from Florida to New Hampshire, from New Jersey to California to Alaska. Jana was predeceased by her grandparents, Helen and Michael Kelly of Jersey City, NJ, and Beatrice and Joseph Wohlers of Harrington Park, NJ; and most recently by her former stepfather, Lloyd Fitzsimmons, Port Charlotte, FL.
On behalf of Jana, her family wishes to express our deepest gratitude to all who took an interest in Jana's health and happiness, and her work at the LGD Alliance. Special gratitude is given to Robert Cady, MD, Tim Damron, MD, both of Syracuse NY, Scott Palmer, MD, Tracy Holland, RN, R. Duane Davis, MD, and Jerry Eu, MD, of the Lung Transplant Team at Duke University Medical Center, the entire therapy staff at the Duke Center For Living, Chrissy and Gale – Duke Home Hospice team, the medical, nursing, critical care and therapy staffs at DUMC, Rev. Todd and Laura Maberry, close friends of Jana: Amber, Suzanne, Heather, Kristine, Dr. Laura, Teresa, Dave Cece, Ann Monthei and the many other friends and family who were such loving friends to Jana and Eric through good and hard times. We remember fondly, also, pal and friend of Jana's, the late Onjo Stevens. Special thanks to the VAC clinical teams at Children's Hospital Boston, Cincinnati Children's, and Wisconsin Children's. We wish to express very special thanks to a person who wishes to remain anonymous - a very honored friend of many years who has been Jana's angel. Please know that every one of you are dear in our hearts and will remain there eternally.
A celebration of Jana's life and work will be held at Duke Gardens, Durham, NC, at 2 p.m., Saturday, January 16, 2010. Dress is casual. Further information on the location is at www.hr.duke.edu/dukegardens. All who touched Jana's life are invited. No flowers, please. Jana has suggested that anyone wishing to honor her life and her work may make a gift to the LGD Alliance, 19919 Villa Lante Place, Boca Raton, FL 33434.