Iris Anne Jacobs

Iris Anne Jacobs gained her angel wings December 30, 2015, with her mother by her side. She was under the excellent care of the Pediatric Oncology Team at UVA Hospital. Their compassionate treatment enabled Iris to be home for several months and our family is forever indebted to the UVA team for their skill and kindness. Iris is survived by her parents Darren and Debra Jacobs, her brothers Jeremy Tozier and Aidan Jacobs, her maternal grandparents David and Linda Stowell, Uncle Mike, Aunt Jill, cousins Graham and Evan Clark, and Uncle Andy. On her paternal side grandparents David and Janet Jacobs, Uncle David Jacobs Jr, Uncle Jeff and Aunt Dana Hyer, cousins Brandon Hyer, Brianna Dodson, and second cousins Adalyne and Drake Dodson. Iris had a dedicated following on both Facebook and Caring Bridge for her indelible spirit and infectious smile. She inspired all with her grace and upbeat personality in the face of extreme suffering. Iris was diagnosed with alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma in November 2013 and endured a grueling treatment course of fifty-four weeks. She underwent a stem cell transplant April 2, 2015 that caused horrific side effects. Despite the brutal hand Iris was dealt she remained upbeat and beautifully sassy to her very last breath. Prior to her diagnosis she was an artistic fashionista with many artistic passions. She was a loving, devoted friend and daughter. Her smile lit up the world. Iris’s legacy will live on and her light will shine bright if we all come together to honor Iris’s desire to have her tumors preserved for research. Iris did not want other children to suffer as she did so she donated her tumors to a lab dedicated to research on rare and intractable cancers such as hers. A special “HOPE FUND” has been created to help cover the expenses of studying her tumors and creating cell lines for research that we HOPE will lead to less invasive treatments and ultimately a cure. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Hope Fund For Iris at the Children’s Cancer Therapy Development Fund at the following web address: https://cc-tdi.kindful.com/honor-pages-2015/a-hope-fund-for-iris.