Mother and Retired Marine Leaves a Lasting, Loving Legacy

You’d be hard pressed to find someone as fierce as Yanick Edouard. A retired Marine, registered nurse, nature lover and passionate artist, Yanick took her maternal role as seriously as she took her military one, always seeking to take the very best care of her family that she could.

Yanick was so dedicated to her three children and her husband that she hid a multiple myeloma diagnosis from them for more than three years, driving herself to doctor’s appointments and painful bone marrow aspirations every week.

She believed in hard work and perseverance, which is perhaps what helped her to hide her diagnosis from her family for so long.

Once chemotherapy and radiation were recommended, she was worried she would be unable to be in treatment and care for her family in the way she preferred. The next 15 years brought many highs and lows, but Yanick took her diagnosis and each doctor’s appointment in stride, fighting valiantly to be with her children as long as she could. She was there for the high school and college graduations of each of her children, and she saw her youngest daughter graduate from medical school and become a doctor.

After Yanick passed, Michele and her siblings were searching for meaningful ways to donate their mother’s things that would honor dynamic personality and be impactful to those who used them. Michele came across Cancer Support Community South Central Indiana (CSCSCI) while doing a Google search for local organizations to which she could donate her mom’s art supplies.

After she discovered the plethora of art programming CSCSI supports, including the popular Calming Creations and Courageous Cards with Mandy classes, as well as the availability of the mini art gallery on W. 3^rd Street that highlights local artists, she knew she had found a place that would put her mother’s art supplies to good use.

While dropping off the art supplies, Michele met CSCSCI program manager Katie Tremel. Katie was touched by not only the graciousness of the donation, but by the courage and strength with which Yanick had faced her diagnosis. To honor her, Katie created the “Yanick Eduard Acrylic Painting class” to use the donated art supplies and honor Yanick’s memory. Welcoming both beginning and experienced artists, the class was led by Rebecca Woodward, who guided attendees in the creation of their very own masterpiece: joyful sunflowers – a favorite of Yanick’s.

Every person who left that room had a smile on their face – exactly how Michele remembers her mother.

“I would encourage anyone… who is thinking about estate planning or anyone who is the executor of an estate … to think about whom they could donate to … that would make a difference in their community,” Michele said. CSCSCI is so thankful for the difference Yanick and Michele are making for those affected by cancer in our community.

More information can be found here about CSCSCI’s art focused programming.