Julia's energy, determination and courage moved all that met her. With ‘catch the real’ her motto, she never shied away from describing the harsh realities of cancer - often with humour and always with heart. The refreshing frankness of her writing won her a legion of fans. Her goal was always to fight ‘as hard as possible for as long as possible’ for her family - Gary, Dakota, Montana, Indiana and Georgia. She did that over and over again, defying the odds. So much so that it was easy, despite her poor health, to believe she'd be with us a lot longer. Julia will be long remembered for her infectious approach to life and for never taking a moment for granted. These are her words:

So do this for me. Find what makes you shine (and you probably already know what it is), and start making steps towards it. They can just be baby steps, but make them. Plant the seed. DO IT NOW. You don't need perspective the way I got it – and believe me, you don't want it. Do it while you still have all the innocence of someone who has a lot of years in front of you. Because, by the law of averages, some of you haven't – you just don't know it yet … I've got a hunger. Haven't you? Don't die with your light inside you. At least I know I won't.