Sabrina Reneé Ellis, a 47-year-old mother to four and grandmother to five, was nominated for a photography session from Sweet Nectar Society through the women’s support group HOW (Helping One Woman at a time). Sabrina received a diagnosis of multiple myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer, on July 7th of 2011.
Sabrina is a longtime resident of Tulare County; she was born in Pixley and moved to Tulare at age 22. She has worked as a corrections officer for the State of California for 21 years. Sabrina enjoys attending church and spending time with her family, including her two sons, Travis (24) and Dyllon (19), and her two daughters, Daviél (26) and Antonia (16).
After receiving her initial diagnosis of multiple myeloma, Sabrina underwent three months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments before receiving a stem cell transplant in late October of 2011. Her cancer was in remission for two months, until January 17th of 2012, when it was confirmed that the multiple myeloma had returned and was more aggressive than noted in her initial diagnosis. She continues to receive chemotherapy as a comfort measure.
Sabrina expresses deep love and thankfulness for her kids and everything they have done for her. She appreciates that all of her children, including her adult children who do not live or work in town, dropped everything they were doing to come home and “take care of mamma,” and she values every day she gets to spend with them. Sweet Nectar Society is honored to be able to give the gift of photography to this amazing family to commemorate Sabrina’s beautiful life, filled with courage and love.
