Geraldine Ferraro,75,The First Woman To Run For U.S. Vice President,Dies Today Of Complications From Blood Cancer

Former congresswoman, the first woman and first Italian-American to run on a major party national ticket, Geraldine Ferraro,75, has died today of complications from blood cancer at Massachusetts General Hospital.(Huffpo)

Geraldine Ferraro and husband John Zaccaro

She is survived by husband John Zaccaro, and their three children.(USA Today)

Geraldine Ferraro had waged a heroic 12 year battle against Multiple Myeloma, and had inspired many of her fellow sufferers of the dreaded blood disease, by becoming a spokesperson and advocate for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation as well as serving on the MMRF’s Honorary Board of Directors.(MMRF.org)

Kathy Giusti, Founder and CEO of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, and a patient with multiple myeloma, said of Geraldine Ferraro:

“Geraldine Ferraro was a true trailblazer, an inspiration to many, an incredible advocate for cancer research, and a very dear friend. She will be sadly missed, never far from our hearts, and fondly remembered for her incredible legacy and the extraordinary woman who she was. We pray that her family finds comfort and peace during this sorrowful time,”(Source)

Kathy Guisti, founder of the MMRF, and a patient for Multiple Myeloma

Ferraro was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1998 after feeling unusually fatigued after running a political campaign.(Multiple Myeloma)

“I went for my annual check-up after running for the Senate in ’98,” Ferraro says.(Source)

She says that got a call from her doctor’s office and he said, ‘You have either leukemia, lymphoma or multiple myeloma.” I asked him ‘What is multiple myeloma?’ He said, ‘It’s also a blood cancer.'”(MSNBC)

Ferraro was initially given only three to five years to live,…but she went on to last for 12 more years, due to the advancements made through clinical research.(Source)

According to the following statement released by her family, she died surrounded by her loved ones:

“Geraldine Anne Ferraro Zaccaro was widely known as a leader, a fighter for justice, and a tireless advocate for those without a voice. To us, she was a wife, mother, grandmother and aunt, a woman devoted to and deeply loved by her family. Her courage and generosity of spirit throughout her life waging battles big and small, public and personal, will never be forgotten and will be sorely missed.”(Bio)

Once when she was discussing her disease and her prognosis, Ferraro stated that…she hoped to live long enough “to attend the inauguration of the first woman president of the United States.”(CNN)

…it was not to be.Rest in Peace to the trailblazing politician Geraldine Ferraro….you significant accomplishments and your life will never be forgotten.(Wiki-Bio)