SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. — In July, a woman went to the University of Tennessee Medical Center. She was expecting a quick visit ending with meds and pain relief. Instead, she was given months to live.
She was diagnosed with stage-four cancer, and she decided not to treat it with radiation or chemotherapy. Some family members had chosen to go through chemotherapy when they were diagnosed, and she did not want to endure the same kind of hardship following her diagnosis.
"To get up is a chore. To wash my hair is a chore. To even go outside, just to get some fresh air, is a chore," said Dianna Jarvis.
Her son, Jaden, is expected to graduate from Sevier County High School in the spring. Dianna likely will not be able to attend the ceremony. So, her father worked with school officials to make sure she had a chance to see her son walk across the aisle.
They recorded a special graduation ceremony for Dianna, so she could watch her son take his first steps into life after high school.
"I was bawling like a baby. Because, ultimately, I'm not going to be there for the true graduation, which sucks, but I'll be there in spirit. Nothing can take that memory from me. Ever, ever. That was the best memory," she said.
Her fight with cancer also caught the attention of her favorite football team — the Tennessee Vols. Players autographed a football that now sits in a glass case inside her home.
"'Mom, all the players signed it for you.' And I'm like, 'No, you gotta be kidding me.' And it even said at the top, 'We love you Dianna,' and I'm like, 'They know my name,'" she said.
Dianna's family set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for her medical expenses and for funeral arrangements. Anyone who wants to donate can do so online.
"I believe that the Lord's gonna take me when he's ready. I don't know when that's gonna happen, but I feel when that day comes, everything will be in line," she said.