Jekyll2023-07-28T23:10:42-04:00https://jasmine.psaris.com/feed.xmljasmine.psaris.comJasmine Psaris was born in New York City and spent her childhood in Hong Kong. She attended Hong Kong International School (HKIS) through 6th grade. Jasmine was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in 2014 and received treatment at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. She passed away on November 27 2017, shortly after her 13th birthday.Jasmine PsarisSt. Baldricks2018-03-22T00:00:00-04:002018-03-22T00:00:00-04:00https://jasmine.psaris.com/speaches/st-baldricks<h1 id="diagnosis">Diagnosis</h1>
<p>Jasmine returned from a summer trip to America in 2014 and was
preparing to start 4th grade. She complained that her leg hurt one
evening after returning from Taekwondo class. I (regretfully) assumed
it was growing pains and suggest we wait and see how things went.
When the pain continued, and a simple touch caused her to scream in
agony, her mom brought her to the doctor.</p>
<p>Quality Health Care performed an immediate X-ray and the image showed
a large cloudy area where the fibula should have been. The doctor did
not indicate what it might be, but suggested that we urgently obtain
an MRI. The MRI results indicated that it was a tumor. But again,
nothing could be diagnosed until a full body PET scan was performed.
The bad news was that it was indeed a metabolically active tumor. The
good news was that it had not metastasized.</p>
<h1 id="treatment">Treatment</h1>
<p>Queen Mary Hospital immediately scheduled a biopsy to determine the
exact nature of the tumor. Within 2 weeks of the initial X-ray she
was accepted as a patient and began chemotherapy for her diagnosis of
high-grade osteosarcoma (bone cancer). Long term survival has been
linked to having the same hospital and surgeon that performed the
initial biopsy also perform the bone resection. Improvements for
osteosarcoma treatment have been slow and the suggested protocol to
treat Jasmine was the same in Hong Kong and New York. We decided to
stay in Hong Kong so she could be near her friends. Planning on
recovery, we committed to Queen Mary Hospital and made sure Jasmine
continued to do her homework, practice piano and play with her
friends.</p>
<p>We counted down the cycles of chemo, plotted her platelet, white and
red blood cell counts, and embraced the surgery to remove her fibula
as a compassionate alternative to removing her leg. The histology of
the removed bone revealed that the chemotherapy had killed more than
95% of the tumor. This was great news, and the next four months of
chemotherapy seemed like an unnecessary precaution. Statistics showed
that since Jasmine was a girl, the tumor was in an extremity, there
were no metastases, and she was being treated at the same hospital as
her diagnosis, her chances of making it to the 5 year anniversary were
greater than 80%. And yet, the chemotherapy continued - causing her
to lose her ability to hear high pitched sounds and running the risk
of damaging her heart.</p>
<h1 id="st-baldricks">St. Baldricks</h1>
<p>During visits to HKIS, I saw the St. Baldrick’s posters and reached
out to the event organizer, Richard Kligler, to understand why he
brought the American charity to Hong Kong. I learned that his son
Sean is a Rhabdomyosarcoma survivor. I signed up immediately, but was
scared to shave my hair. Having once had a pony tail, my hair defined
me. But going bald with - and for - Jasmine was one of the proudest
days of my life. I was relieved to learn that the shape of my head
wasn’t bumpy and I didn’t have any moles.</p>
<p>Jasmine returned to 4th grade before the end of the school year. She
wore a baseball cap in public so she didn’t attract attention, but was
never ashamed to look in the mirror. She was just as pretty bald as
she was with a pony tail. We began to grow our hair out together, but
I lost the race. It seems my hair doesn’t grow as fast, or as thick,
as it used to.</p>
<p>5th grade was awesome. And although there were periodic scans and
blood tests, life seemed to be back on track. She regained control of
her right foot, returned to swim and Taekwondo practice and fought
through PE class.</p>
<h1 id="recurrence">Recurrence</h1>
<p>But all was not good. Jasmine began to complain that her shoulder
hurt after swim practice. The latest bone scan was clean, so I again
suggested that we just monitor it. The next chest CT scan, however,
revealed two growths in her lungs. Lung metastases are the most
common recurrence for bone cancer. But the sooner they appear, the
worse the chances of survival are. In addition, these metastases
appeared in different lobes - suggesting an even worse prognosis.
Jasmine missed the 6th grade trip to Beijing so she could have the
nodules removed.</p>
<p>During recovery, she noticed a lump in her right thigh. And soon
thereafter, her left ring finger started to swell and hurt. An MRI
revealed that the lump in her leg was most definitely another tumor.
A followup PET scan showed that her shoulder and finger were also
active tumors - with the possibility of one in her left knee and
another deep in her chest. The Queen Mary doctors indicated that
there was nothing they could do, and that Jasmine would die.</p>
<h1 id="new-york">New York</h1>
<p>We refused to give up hope and returned to New York City to obtain
treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center - the same
hospital that cured Sean. We hoped that access to drug trials might
make a difference if needed. But MSK provided more than that. With
more chemo, the tumors shrank and Jasmine enjoyed an extra year of
event-filled life. It is not possible to take chemotherapy as a tumor
stabilizer forever. It takes longer and longer to recover from each
course of chemo. In fact, the more chemotherapy you take, the higher
the chances of blood cells mutating and causing acute myelogenous
leukemia (AML).</p>
<p>After 6 months of chemo, the doctors felt they could completely remove
all of Jasmine’s tumors - which is the only way to cure osteosarcoma.
The amazing surgeons at Memorial Sloan Kettering performed a ‘ray
amputation’ to remove her finger, a ‘hemi clamshell thoracotomy’ to
remove the tumor near her heart, a resection of the tumor in her right
thigh, and a novel technique invented in Japan to kill the tumor in
her right arm with liquid nitrogen.</p>
<h1 id="amputation">Amputation</h1>
<p>But cancer cells had survived and were already weakening the remaining
bone in her arm. Within a few weeks, the bone broke. Amputation was
the only option. Jasmine did not want to lose her arm and fought
through the pain until the swelling extended to her hand and she lost
all use of her fingers. She soon accepted that her arm was lost and
that she would be happier without the painful appendage. In a
desperate attempt to relieve her pain, I eagerly signed the medical
form accepting all the risks that Jasmine would be exposed to.</p>
<p>With her arm removed, her life improved again, but another tumor began
to grow in her knee. Radiation therapy helped reduce the speed of
growth and swelling, but did not - and could not - cure her. We were
faced with the horrible prospect of cancer continuing to painfully
spread throughout her body without actually killing her. Mercifully,
the cancer spread to her lungs and she began to have trouble
breathing. After a few weeks of using a nasal cannula to deliver
oxygen, carbon dioxide began building up in her body faster than it
could be expelled.</p>
<h1 id="mortality">Mortality</h1>
<p>Jasmine came to grips with her mortality. While reading the book
“Yearling” by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings with her home instruction
teacher she asked why Jody Baxter, the main character, had to shoot
his injured and suffering deer. Her teacher explained how killing a
suffering animal was the humane action to take. Jasmine then asked
why it was not legal to kill suffering humans. She also read the book
“Tuck Everlasting” by Natalie Babbitt which is about a family who
drank from a magic spring that allowed them to live forever. Jasmine
was moved by Miles, the older brother, who’s mortal wife divorced him
because she was spooked by his youthful appearance even after 25 years
of marriage. Jasmine understood that immortality is a curse and death
is a certainty for all.</p>
<h1 id="at-peace">At Peace</h1>
<p>On a Saturday, one week after her 13th birthday, Jasmine began
complaining that her breathing had become increasingly difficult. At
her request, we brought her to the hospital. A nebulizer treatment
improved her ability to breath but we soon found that she was coughing
up blood - not mucous. Jasmine faded in and out of consciousness and
by Monday morning, while sleeping deeply, her breathing slowed, and
then stopped. We were of course sad, but also extremely grateful that
her final moments were peaceful and that her long struggle had finally
come to an end.</p>
<h1 id="motivation">Motivation</h1>
<p>I share this painful story with you to emphasize how far we are from
curing childhood cancer. Jasmine was unlucky, but even the ‘lucky’
children live with the side-effects of treatment and may - as
mentioned - develop secondary cancers. Much progress has been made on
anti-nausea medicine and pain killers to counter the effects of
chemotherapy - so that even higher doses can be administered. We need
better options for our children - not more of the same. I thank you
for recognizing the importance of pediatric cancer research and your
willingness to show the world your bald head. This is a fantastic
charity, and one that invites discussion by merely walking into a
room. Take these opportunities to share your passion for pediatric
cancer. Together we can help find a cure.</p>
<!----- Footnotes ----->Jasmine PsarisPresented by Jasmine's Dad at the Hong Kong International School St. Baldricks EventA True Teacher2018-01-10T00:00:00-05:002018-01-10T00:00:00-05:00https://jasmine.psaris.com/speaches/a-true-teacher<h1 id="a-true-teacher">A True Teacher</h1>
<p>I new I wanted to be a teacher from when I could first remember. It
just always felt like it was a part of me. I never doubted or had
questions about what I wanted to do when I grew up. Once I graduated
from university and began teaching it felt like the world was at my
fingertips. I wanted my kids (my students) to learn everything! I
would spend my weekends planning and imagining how I would structure
my lessons, teach this child, make a difference in the world.</p>
<p>The crazy thing about when you first start teaching is that you think
that <strong>you</strong> know everything. <strong>You</strong> think that your kids are going to
change because of <strong>you</strong>. But the wonderful thing about teaching is
that <strong>you</strong> change because of <strong>them</strong>. You change your delivery, your
pacing, the way you interact with students. You learn to pay more
attention to what they don’t say than what they do. Your students
really teach <strong>you</strong> about life and Jasmine taught me more than I ever
could have ever realized.</p>
<p>Jasmine didn’t mince words. She didn’t put on airs and act like
everything was ok if it wasn’t. She taught me to be bold and true
when things aren’t going right.</p>
<p>And Jasmine’s smile – that genuine smile that just lit up the room
and was unmistakably hers – you had to work to get it. She taught me
to really value joy. I felt like I had won the lottery when I could
get her to laugh or smile and I would go home and journal about it.
That smile carried me through some challenging times and that smile is
still framed in my classroom.</p>
<p>I learned from watching Jasmine what true friendship looks like. Her
friends, Summer, Jacqui, Eliora, and many others, they loved her and
she absolutely loved them. Adults get wrapped up in all sorts of
things with friendships, but these girls they just cared
unconditionally, laughed freely, and were there for each other no
matter what. This gift of being able to witness the love of friends,
that was truly a blessing.</p>
<p>One of the most important lessons Jasmine taught me was that the world
doesn’t stop for you when things get bad, so you have to be strong for
yourself. She came to school on days that I knew were rough. She
powered through 5th grade Walkabout and she did so only with a bit of
grumbling. She knew that the world wasn’t going to stop for her and
so she stared it down and walked all over it.</p>
<p>There were amazing times in fifth grade and there were harder times.
Once Jasmine had a rough afternoon and just sat crying, and then
quiet, on the floor in our classroom long after the bell rang. She
didn’t want to talk, move, or do anything. At the time I didn’t
understand it, couldn’t understand it. But now I think, in that
moment, she just didn’t want to take on any more that this crazy world
had thrown at her. She just needed peace.</p>
<p>Over the years I have learned so much from my students. My kids are
<em>always</em> my kids. No matter how old they get or how far they journey.
Jasmine was a radiant, sarcastic, witty, and genuine person. She
touched, influenced, and changed the lives of countless people. I
know that now she has the peace she was seeking.</p>
<p>We are all so blessed and lucky to have met, to have been taught, and
most importantly to have been loved by Jasmine.</p>
<p>– Michelle Hoard, Jasmine’s 5th Grade Homeroom Teacher</p>
<!----- Footnotes ----->Jasmine PsarisPresented by Michelle Hoard, Jasmine's 5th Grade Homeroom TeacherMemorial Service2018-01-10T00:00:00-05:002018-01-10T00:00:00-05:00https://jasmine.psaris.com/speaches/memorial<h1 id="intro">Intro</h1>
<p>I’d like to start by thanking you for coming tonight. Each of you has
provided friendship, love, support and comfort to Jasmine during her
journey. Your presence demonstrates the breadth of Jasmine’s influence
as well as your compassion. Jasmine’s passing is the catalyst which
brings us together. But we would like to spend a few moments sharing
a few highlights of Jasmine’s passionate, intense, creative and happy
life.</p>
<h1 id="birth">Birth</h1>
<p>Jasmine was born at 11:46 am on November 18, 2004 at Lenox Hill
Hospital, New York City. She had a surprising head of wavy black
hair. Perhaps we should not have been surprised - both of her
grandmothers have curly hair too.</p>
<p>Antai and I had long agreed that Jasmine would be her first name. Her
Chinese middle name, however, was often debated. My only requirements
were that it not start with a ‘c’, ‘z’, ‘x’, or ‘q’. When the nurse
came to fill out the birth certificate, we simultaneously said two
different middle names. The nurse excused herself - clearly nervous
about getting entangled in a potentially explosive disagreement. In
the end, Jasmine’s Chinese relatives helped pick her middle name
‘Linghui’.</p>
<p>At three months old Jasmine began attending House of Little People Too
day care on 90th street and Lexington. According to her first report
card, her favorite song was ‘Oowee Goowee Chicken Pie’ by Kimmy
Schwimmy. It was tough dropping her off at such a young age, but this
seemed to be the ‘norm’ for two working parents in New York City.</p>
<h1 id="hong-kong">Hong Kong</h1>
<p>We moved to Hong Kong before Jasmine turned two, and learned that
there were no day cares in Hong Kong that accepted children so
young. The ‘norm’ in Hong Kong turned out to be hiring a live-in
helper. Jasmine grew up at home with organized play dates until she
was old enough to attend Parkview International Preschool (PIPS).
Lucky for her, this was within walking distance from our
apartment. Jasmine enjoyed PIPS and enrolled in the bilingual -
English and Mandarin - class.</p>
<p>Jasmine always enjoyed story time before bed. We started the Elephant
and Piggie series and progressed to Don’t let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
and the Knuffle Bunny trilogy. We credit Mo Willems with teaching
Jasmine how to read.</p>
<h1 id="personality">Personality</h1>
<p>As Jasmine matured, we soon realized that disciplining her was going
to be tough. No matter the threat, if Jasmine didn’t want to do
something, there was no way to get her to do it - neither carrot nor
stick. One Halloween night, while her brother prepared to leave for
trick-or-treating, we wanted the slow-eating Jasmine to finish her
shrimp. We threatened that she would not be able to go
trick-or-treating until after she finished one more bite. Jasmine
decided the trade-off was not worth it, and refused to eat anything
more. Antai and I gave in, and were prepared to take her
trick-or-treating. But Jasmine refused to go because she did not eat
the shrimp. There was no trick-or-treating that year.</p>
<p>Jasmine’s fighting spirit was formed at a young age. She was the only
girl in her bilingual nursery school class. According to her teachers,
she learned to handle a class of rowdy boys. She began taking
Taekwondo at 5 years old and, here too, was often the only girl in
class.</p>
<h1 id="hkis">HKIS</h1>
<p>Jasmine joined Hong Kong International School (HKIS) when she turned 6
years old. As the only girl in her PIPS class, no one stopped her
from walking away from activities. But this would not fly in
kindergarten. The teacher soon informed us that circle time was for
everyone.</p>
<p>Jasmine enjoyed school - especially Math, Art, Recess and Physical
Education. She spent her time at recess hanging from monkey bars. We
were so proud to show off her calloused hands. Though she did not
attend gymnastics class, she even learned how to do a back walkover at
recess.</p>
<p>Jasmine started swim classes on Saturdays. She had trouble taking
direction from the female instructor so we took a break for a year and
tried again. Upon her return, she seemed to have matured and enjoyed
swimming - or was it the male swim instructor?</p>
<p>Piano lessons soon followed and she enjoyed learning popular tunes
such as Mickey Mouse March, Rockin Robin, My Heat Will Go On and Heart
and Soul.</p>
<p>The years flew by as we accompanied her to swim meets, school field
trips and piano and Taekwondo exams. In second grade, Jasmine earned
the ‘Safety Patrol’, followed by ‘Great Bus Manners’ and ‘Outstanding
Printing’ awards. In third grade, she became a ‘Mathlete’.</p>
<h1 id="summers">Summers</h1>
<p>Jasmine spent her summers traveling between America and China,
visiting grandparents and taking classes. She improved her Mandarin
cultural knowledge attending the YK Pao School in Shanghai. Days were
filled with singing, calligraphy, paper cuttings and musical
instruments.</p>
<p>The summer after 3rd grade was extra special, as Jasmine traveled with
a school program to Hanghzhou, China by herself. She was given the
opportunity to bargain for items either wanted for herself or for
presents. Upon returning, we were given gifts of a hand-powered fan, a
Chinese calligraphy bamboo scroll and this purple silk tie - by far my
favorite.</p>
<p>Like all summer trips back to America, 2014 included a visit to ‘Camel
Beach’ water park in the Poconos. Jasmine was fearless. She insisted
on going down rides that even her older brother wouldn’t dare ride.
She was always proud to be one of the youngest riders on those slides.</p>
<p>When we returned to Hong Kong, however, she complained that her leg
hurt and was diagnosed with bone cancer. Throughout treatment,
Jasmine continued to practice piano, study math, Skype with her
Chinese and English teacher and loved to read mysteries. She studied
the mystery novels and identified the features that made them
irresistible. Jasmine enjoyed coming up with hilarious plot twists
and ‘hooks’ to keep a reader’s interest. We suggested she write a few
of these down, and the result was ‘Cally and Bean: Middle School
Mysteries’. Jasmine was not only the author but also the illustrator.
By April the next year, she was back in school, happily reunited with
her friends, and ready for the level 3 ABRSM piano exam. To mark the
occasion, we visited the Hong Kong SPCA and adopted her cat Trixie.</p>
<h1 id="reintegration">Reintegration</h1>
<p>Jasmine spent all of fifth grade reintegrating into a typical
childhood routine. Her curly hair returned. She regained control of
her right foot and recovered her status as a star ‘four square’ player
at recess. She returned to Taekwondo and passed her red/black belt
exam. She returned to the swim team and enjoyed competing in two swim
meets. She continued to study piano and took the level 4 ABRSM exam.
Jasmine started the year in band playing the clarinet and transitioned
to the oboe - earning the best double reed player award. Jasmine
continued to enjoy math and participated in Math Olympiad
competitions. She wrote an essay for class about how integrating
Minecraft into class would help students learn. This essay combined
with publication of ‘Cally and Bean’ earned her the ‘Future Games
Journalist’ prize ‘for her love of video games and writing’.</p>
<p>The highlight of fifth grade was Jasmine’s new best friend - Summer -
who became her dedicated Egyptian Ratscrew (card game)
partner. Jasmine graduated Lower Primary School on Jun 15th 2016.</p>
<p>The summer of 2016 was spent building robots at Johns Hopkins Center
for Talented Youth program in Hong Kong. Jasmine loves computers and
with guidance from her brother, Jasmine probably became Hong Kong’s
best female Monster Hunter player. She also played Minecraft with a
passion. With trepidation we paid for an online Minecraft account so
she could play on popular servers. The purchase was some of the best
money ever spent. We never saw Jasmine so animated and alive as when
she was logged into the Minecraft server while simultaneously chatting
with her friends and watching Dan TDM on YouTube.</p>
<h1 id="new-york">New York</h1>
<p>Jasmine’s transition to middle school was exciting - lockers with
padlocks, homeroom, a new campus and friends. But just as
preparations were being made for the sixth grade trip to Beijing and
the Great Wall, scans revealed the cancer had returned and we moved
back to New York for treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer
Center. Jasmine looked forward to seeing her best friend Summer who
had moved back to America at the end of 5th grade. On the day after
landing in New York, we rented a car and drove five hours to visit
Summer and carve pumpkins in Virginia. A few weeks later, Trixie
braved 16 hours in a plane’s cargo hold to be re-united with Jasmine.</p>
<p>Between regular visits to MSK, Jasmine enjoyed life as a New Yorker.
Trips to museums and parks, riding buses and subways, and enjoying the
wide variety of American television: cooking competitions such as
Chopped and Baker vs Faker, American Ninja Warrior, Myth Busters,
Shark Tank and Dancing with the Stars. We spent New Years in Times
Square and she stayed up through midnight - witnessing Mariah Carey’s
disaster unfold in real-time. Her passion for Minecraft continued and
she kept in touch with her Hong Kong friends by scheduling online
meetups during the brief hours when their schedules overlapped.</p>
<p>Upon returning to New York, Jasmine was automatically enrolled in Home
Instruction and was assigned the best teacher she ever had. Jasmine
adopted Susan as another member of the family and eagerly worked
through the 6th grade curriculum. Including science with dad and math
with mom, Jasmine created a portfolio of work that easily qualified
her to begin seventh grade the next year. She was even awarded an
‘Above and Beyond’ award from Home Instruction ‘ for recognition of
dedication, perseverance and hard work’. Jasmine spent the summer
completing an on-line Scratch programming class and earned an A+ for
her consistent perfect scores on homework and the final project.</p>
<h1 id="delights">Delights</h1>
<p>We filled her time with trips to the movies, visits to and from
friends, a trip to a haunted house, and many arts and crafts projects.
She used a glue gun to build a coin sorter from cardboard
pieces. Mystery novels and bedtime stories returned as a time of peace
and meditation. She baked cakes and rice crispy treats just to
decorate them with icing - giving them away to doormen and friends.</p>
<p>Where we once thought Jasmine was a math star - we soon learned that
she had an artistic bent as well. Yes, we knew her Pictionary skills
were amazing, and collected her art projects over the years, but it
wasn’t until the Make-A-Wish Foundation representatives saw her
artwork that we considered her skills more than average. We were
touched when Make-A-Wish offered to make a book of Jasmine’s artwork
and poetry. Many of Jasmine’s drawings have been laminated and are
hanging on our walls. The book represents her skills as of a few
years ago. Over the past year she also drew pictures of the Blue
Mosque in Turkey, the Lighthouse of Alexandria and the cover for the
October Home Instruction magazine.</p>
<p>She visited Yankee Stadium, met the manager Joe Girardi and got her
Yankees cap signed by Brett Gardner. She celebrated her 13th birthday
and the exciting transition to being a teenager. Jasmine understood
her time was limited and organized all the important things in her
life into different labeled zip-lock bags. She created a box to hold
all of her treasures. She was prepared for what was coming but
luckily never knew it when it arrived.</p>
<p>Jasmine’s life was filled with unacknowledged challenges. She pushed
through each hurdle as it appeared. She knew she was going to die,
but never once asked what that would be like, or what happens after
death. She spent her time focused on living. She kept a notebook to
record everything she wanted to accomplish and challenged herself each
day to check them off - one by one.</p>
<p>Jasmine gave life everything she had. We’re so proud to be her
parents. Just thinking of her, and looking at her cat Trixie remind
us how Jasmine’s love improved the lives of many others. Through her,
we’ve learned how to appreciate life ourselves. Her strength,
fearlessness, and resiliency inspire us daily. We enjoyed her jokes,
her laugh, and her ability to beat us in every strategy game we
played. We enjoyed her artwork, handcrafts and video game knowledge
and skills. Just being with Jasmine made us the happiest people on
earth.</p>
<h1 id="we-remember-them">We Remember Them</h1>
<blockquote>
<p class="verse">
At the rising of the sun and its going down,<br />
we remember them.<br />
<br />
At the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter,<br />
we remember them.<br />
<br />
At the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring,<br />
we remember them.<br />
<br />
At the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of summer,<br />
we remember them.<br />
<br />
At the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of autumn,<br />
we remember them.<br />
<br />
At the beginning of the year and when it ends,<br />
we remember them.<br />
<br />
As long as we live, they too will live, for they are now a part of us,<br />
as we remember them.<br />
<br />
When we are weary and in need of strength,<br />
we remember them.<br />
<br />
When we are lost and sick at heart,<br />
we remember them.<br />
<br />
When we have joy we crave to share,<br />
we remember them.<br />
<br />
When we have decisions that are difficult to make,<br />
we remember them.<br />
<br />
When we have achievements that are based on theirs,<br />
we remember them.<br />
<br />
As long as we live, they too will live, for they are now a part of us,<br />
as we remember them.<br />
<br />
– by Sylvan Kamens and Rabbi Jack Riemer from The Union Prayer Book<br />
</p>
</blockquote>
<!----- Footnotes ----->Jasmine PsarisPresented by Jasmine's Dad at Hong Kong International School's Church of All NationsQuotes2018-01-10T00:00:00-05:002018-01-10T00:00:00-05:00https://jasmine.psaris.com/quotes/quotes<h1 id="summer-jeffery">Summer Jeffery</h1>
<blockquote>
<p>I was once told that life is unfair, and I blankly underestimated the
power of these three words. Life is unfair because it will take away
the most pure and genuine people too soon in this world of hate, love,
war, and peace. One of these people was Jasmine Psaris; she was
amazing in every way.</p>
<p>Jasmine was beautiful, smart, hilarious, thoughtful beyond anyone,
creative and imaginative always making new pieces of art or something
incredible to blow me away. Out of everyone that I know she is the
bravest and most courageous person I ever met.</p>
<p>I will never forget her smile and laugh because they both warm my
heart and made me smile. She always carried the spirit of a fighter
and the heart of an angel with her and gave me one thing that I can
never repay her for: her friendship.</p>
<p>I was the one who got lucky because I had the honor of being Jasmine’s
best friend.</p>
<p>– Summer Jeffery, 5th grade classmate</p>
</blockquote>
<h1 id="ellie-chang">Ellie Chang</h1>
<blockquote>
<p>Jasmine is my friend. She is unrelentingly faithful, loyal and
trustworthy. She never doubts me. She trusts me. Even after years of
separation, on the day we met, she talked and played with me as if I
were never gone. I could always trust her to keep my secrets because
there was something about her. Perhaps it was something about the way
she talked. The way she laughed. The way her eyes glanced at me
reassuringly. There was something so pure about her that immediately
made me trust her. And she has never revealed any of my secrets and
she has never betrayed me or left me for another friend. I feel
ashamed and burdened with so much guilt because she always played with
me but I didn’t always play with her. I wasn’t a loyal friend. But
Jasmine saw past that and continued to be my friend. Even when I
couldn’t match her loyalty and faithfulness she still played and
laughed with me. She is still my undeniably loyal friend.</p>
<p>Her positivity is unyielding. When she didn’t smile I could see the
mischief and laughter dancing in her eyes. As if she knew something
funny that I didn’t. When she smiled, it was so genuine, so full of
joy that I had to smile back. Even when I failed at something she
would smile reassuringly and I would know she had my back.</p>
<p>She loved the world so much. Every little thing made her happy. When I
went to New York we went to a Math Museum. I thought it would be a
boring place filled with only numbers and words. But Jasmine smiled
and told me that the Math Museum was different. That it was filled
with amazing things. I could tell by her eagerness and her smile that
it was something she loved. So we went to the Museum. And that
experience was something I will never forget. I learned so many new
things. About Geometry, Physics etc. But I had fun. So much fun. We
rode on a boat over uneven shapes just to discover it was a very
smooth ride. We sat in a chair that twirled around and around until I
got so dizzy I almost fell out of it. And Jasmine was there with me
for every one of those rides. She was there explaining the Math to
me. She was there explaining how everything worked. She was there to
show her love for that Museum.</p>
<p>When I went to her house I marveled at all the little trinkets and
mechanisms in her room. When I was touching one, Jasmine gently told
me that I should be careful with it. In her tone and words I saw she
cherished every little trinket in her room. And I wondered how such a
small thing could earn the love of something much greater than it. And
I realized, it hadn’t earned the love, the love had been given. By
someone who thought that everything on Earth should be loved. And who
looked to share that love with others. And because she loved
everything, she was constantly surrounded by things she loved which
enabled her the ability to brave through the worst.</p>
<p>– Ellie Chang, 2nd-4th grade classmate</p>
</blockquote>
<h1 id="jacqui-sparrow">Jacqui Sparrow</h1>
<blockquote>
<p>Jasmine was a little stubborn but smart and super fun. She always made
us laugh with her witty comments. She was so fun to hang out with and
I was really sad when she had to leave in 6th grade. It was quite
sudden but hoped she would get better and come back to us. While she
was getting treatment in NY, when our time zones matched, we would
chat. Despite her worrying condition she never mentioned how bad it
was and was so strong and she stayed just as stubborn but fun and cat
loving. Jasmine will always live on in my heart. She taught me how to
remain strong in tough situations and I will miss her dearly. I miss
you Jasmine.</p>
<p>– Jacqui Sparrow, 5th grade classmate</p>
</blockquote>
<h1 id="nicole-au">Nicole Au</h1>
<blockquote>
<p>Although I didn’t know Jasmine for a very long time, she has been one
of the best friends I have ever had in my life. I remember when I
first joined the school in the middle of fifth grade, I didn’t have
any friends, and not many people were willing to be my friend yet, but
Jasmine was the first to accept me and be my friend. She wasn’t like
other girls I knew. She never complained about anything or cared about
the unimportant things so many people devote themselves to now. Though
she suffered from a medical condition, if I had never asked about the
scar on her leg, she wouldn’t have told me, and I would never have
known, because she never complained about it, or talked about it much.
Jasmine was always there for me when I was struggling with problems
with other friends, and always made me laugh everyday. I remember the
last time I saw her as clearly as if it only happened yesterday. It
was near the time of halloween, and I carved a pumpkin for the first
time with her. We had a lot of fun taking turns cutting out pieces
from the pumpkin, and watching it transform into a jack-o-lantern. But
not long after we finished, Jasmine told me that she had to leave for
the U.S., and I hadn’t expected her to mean she would leave that exact
moment. I didn’t have time to prepare myself for this information, and
before I knew it, she was gone. I remember seeing her drive away, but
I didn’t remember saying goodbye. I never thought that it would be
last time we would see each other again. Thinking back on that day, I
regret not arriving at her house earlier, and I regret not saying
anything to her before she left. But I know that Jasmine is now with
Jesus, where she will have no pain or suffering, and I am assured that
she is in good hands. Jasmine was a true friend. I treasure all the
times we spent together, and I cannot thank her enough for being my
friend, because without her, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I
will never forget her, and she will be an inspiration to me everyday,
forever.</p>
<p>– Nicole Au, 5th grade classmate</p>
</blockquote>
<h1 id="caitlin-lam">Caitlin Lam</h1>
<blockquote>
<p>Jasmine was a really smart and sweet girl and I was devastated when I
heard about the news that she had passed away. I will never forget her
laugh, her smile, her voice and all the memories that I have had with
her.</p>
<p>I first met Jasmine at the 5th Grade Camp where we were assigned in
the same cabin. From then on, we became best friends. Jasmine was a
really good student in HKIS. During breaks in the 6th Grade, I would
always look forward to talking with her and hanging out together. She
really liked swimming and playing video games, I still remember the
time when we were at camp and we would race each other in swimming. At
my 11th birthday party, she solved a Rubic’s cube in minutes and that
had all of us amazed. Jasmine had Rubics cubes in all sizes and
forms.</p>
<p>I begged my parents to go to New York this past summer to visit
her. When the plan was finally confirmed, Jasmine and I freaked out
and were spamming each other on whatsapp because we were so happy. As
the days passed we grew more and more excited. When we got to New
York, I stayed at Jasmine’s house for five days and we had fun by
going to different places in New York. We also spent our days playing
Minecraft and video games, making arts and crafts, hanging out with
her cat Trixie and we even watched Minion 3 together. We went to a
Math Museum and that was when I realized how good she was at math. She
fought hard and I will always admire how strong and brave she was. I
am really happy that I got to be Jasmine’s friend and I will miss her
dearly and I will always remember her.</p>
<p>– Caitlin Lam, 5th grade classmate</p>
</blockquote>
<h1 id="michelle-hoard">Michelle Hoard</h1>
<blockquote>
<p>Jasmine was a radiant, sarcastic, witty, and genuine young woman. She
made me smile and I have thought of her often since she left fifth
grade.</p>
<p>Her book is still in my classroom and that part of her, her words and
illustrations, will continue to live on throughout the years. How
incredible it is that child after child will read Jasmine’s stories
and that they will know her, just a bit.</p>
<p>– Michelle Hoard, 5th Grade homeroom teacher</p>
</blockquote>
<h1 id="matt-lucas">Matt Lucas</h1>
<blockquote>
<p>I will always remember the discussions we had during the Continuous
Movement runs and her persistence; her leg would say no, but her heart
would say yes. She was such a clever and fun young lady. Jasmine
helped not only her classmates, but me as well, to redefine
perseverance; for that, I will be eternally grateful.</p>
<p>– Matt Lucas, P.E. teacher</p>
</blockquote>
<h1 id="brandon-little">Brandon Little</h1>
<blockquote>
<p>In August of her grade four year, 2014-2015, Jasmine Psaris entered a
scary and uncertain future when her and her family discovered that she
had cancer. However, she didn’t let that get in the way of her
passions: reading, writing, and computer programming. She made a habit
of meeting her teacher online for lengthy chats about life, school,
and what she was working on while she was away. While she was at home,
she wrote a lot. She created a collection of stories that her and her
dad published together. Anyone who read Jasmine’s Adventures of Callie
and Bean knew that she was a talented writer. As that year went on,
she was determined to go back to school. With the support of her
loving parents, she made a courageous and brave return in April of
2015, happy to be with her classmates and eager to learn. Although
Jasmine faced a very difficult time in her life, she revealed many
great qualities. She was plucky, talented, and resilient. With the
news of her passing in late November 2017, those who knew her will
remember that she was a remarkable young girl.</p>
<p>– Brandon Little, 4th Grade homeroom teacher</p>
</blockquote>
<h1 id="philip-ng">Philip Ng</h1>
<blockquote>
<p class="verse">
<br />
Jasmine<br />
<br />
A girl of nine, an IV in her arm, leaned on the hospital bed.<br />
Facing the Skype camera with a cheerful smile,<br />
She opens the Chinese text.<br />
Together we read and read,<br />
And then, with a clear voice, she asks,<br />
Wu laoshi, how’s life at HKIS?<br />
<br />
I say, It is early in the morning, students play four square and tag.<br />
I say, They feed the carp fish with tiny pieces of bread,<br />
I say, They shout hello to every friend they meet,<br />
And then, I say, they enter their homeroom with their backpacks.<br />
<br />
I wish to be there for sure, she says.<br />
No more sadness, she says.<br />
That's the joy in life I would have, she says.<br />
And then, at ten, she came back…..<br />
<br />
Sixth and seventh grades come<br />
With laughter; the joy in life she hoped for,<br />
Surrounded by family and friends,<br />
And all who loved her.<br />
And then……<br />
<br />
It seems she is still around,<br />
Reminding us of the thankfulness of grace,<br />
And the importance of each precious moment of life,<br />
And how to live with love and faith.<br />
<br />
– Philip Ng, Chinese Studies teacher<br />
</p>
</blockquote>
<h1 id="jacky-shuhu-and-chao-aiyi">Jacky Shuhu and Chao Aiyi</h1>
<blockquote>
<p>Jazz,我又走神了,龙头开着,水哗哗地流。想起你给我的节水“箴言”,尤其是那句
“著名”的“上肥皂的时候记得关水”记忆 的片段如水般流淌。两岁的时候在香港
某个海滩边,拿牢Mr Sushi大嚼冰淇淋,5岁在正大广场playground,一个猛子接一
个猛子扎在皮球堆里。7岁那年我们在珠海,三个人比赛谁走得快,我俩甘拜下风。
9岁来上海参加外公外婆的结婚纪念, 话说你头上怎么能顶那么多V! 也是那次
trip,我们去多伦路喝饮料,你对着铜像做鬼脸,完了还在二楼“训斥”一个吸烟男
子,自那时起就知道你的“胆识”可不一般!当然,胆识非凡的我们还是要hide and
seek!! 还记得10岁那年在民阿姨家找复 活蛋么?某人在灯座上藏了一个,何等恶
劣的行径!!那年9月你身体抱恙,我们来香港,你亲自“指导”我玩ipad游戏,还 在
Jacky熟睡的时候偷偷潜伏过去… 去年海盐之行好像就几天前的事儿一样。我
们报了个小旅行团,你出发前“相中”了我的小黄鸭子,并把它妥妥地放在自己小挎
包里。我瞅了眼你的小包,梳子镜子everything真够organised! 一上车,你就把
人家好端端的团旗扎成了发带,还动不动 就折腾一下Jacky哈哈哈!路上,我听了
你收藏的音乐,心中不免有些吃惊,how peaceful,完全大人的做派嘛!小大人还规
劝我养猫,例举大量Trixie的事实企图打消我的顾虑,并约好下次来上海的时候帮
我去猫舍挑一个。这会看到当时拍的那 些“痴头怪脑”的相片不禁发笑,骨子里我
们都只活在了12岁! 今年2月再次纽约相见,你已沉静许多。不过…一到抢红包
的时候,可就原形毕露呦!!记得你连着几把只抢了几毛钱,坐在那里发急地“not
fair”,其实你资产不少啊!哈哈哈! 我读过《小王子》,他离开地球的时候和现在
差不多,场面有些伤感,但其实大人们不知道他只是按约定回到自己原先出 发的
星球而已。我猜这会你已经到家了吧,路上还顺利吗?走得匆忙,都还没来得打开
猜猜盒 可能觉得一路上有些辛苦 吧?没事,洗刷一下睡一觉又是好汉一条!写着
写着眼前不禁朦胧起来,你若是在,肯定又得说我should not check email at
night。好吧,先聊到这里,今晚你我都睡到自然醒哦!</p>
<p>– 超阿姨和Jacky叔叔</p>
</blockquote>
<!----- Footnotes ----->Jasmine PsarisQuotes from Jasmine's Friends, Family and TeachersThe Golden Sun2017-12-17T00:00:00-05:002017-12-17T00:00:00-05:00https://jasmine.psaris.com/poems/the-golden-sun<h1 id="the-golden-sun">The Golden Sun</h1>
<p class="verse">
Winter came<br />
Riding fast<br />
On bitter winds<br />
<br />
Ensnaring the sky<br />
With a net<br />
As dark as ink<br />
So that<br />
The Golden Sun<br />
Would never rise<br />
<br />
For years<br />
That canopy<br />
Of unending darkness<br />
Stood<br />
<br />
When one day<br />
The tips<br />
Of Dawn<br />
Could be seen<br />
And<br />
The Golden Sun<br />
Rose<br />
<br />
Glorious rays<br />
Forcing<br />
The darkness back<br />
Shining<br />
In full splendor<br />
And glory<br />
They painted<br />
The sky<br />
With their<br />
Golden brilliance<br />
<br />
Darkness could not<br />
Trap the sky<br />
For the sky<br />
Was home<br />
To<br />
The Golden Sun<br />
<br />
The Golden Sun,<br />
and Rose-fingered Dawn.<br />
Hand in hand,<br />
they cloaked the life-giving Earth,<br />
in crimson reds with yellow hues.<br />
<br />
Feel the crisp, refreshing wind,<br />
scatter those golden leaves,<br />
who shine so brightly,<br />
as if to match the Golden Sun.<br />
<br />
The Silver Moon,<br />
and velvety Dark Twilight.<br />
Hand in hand,<br />
they engulfed the flaming Earth,<br />
in frosted whites with icy hues.<br />
<br />
Feel the numbing, piercing wind,<br />
cut through those fragile frosted leaves,<br />
who are so brave and bold,<br />
to stand up to the harsh rule of the Silver Moon.<br />
<br />
And those brave, frosted leaves,<br />
Are swept up by the numbing wind,<br />
And lifted up to face the judgement,<br />
of the Silver Moon.<br />
<br />
And no matter how biting the glare of the Silver Moon is.<br />
And no matter how numbing the piercing wind is.<br />
Those frosted leaves shall not tremble nor bow down.<br />
They stand defiantly up to the might of the Silver Moon.<br />
<br />
As the frosted leaves braved the Silver Moon,<br />
the Golden Sun,<br />
and Rose-fingered Dawn,<br />
reached out with rays of gold,<br />
streaked with hues of red,<br />
to melt the frost,<br />
and to chase away,<br />
the Silver Moon and the Dark Twilight.<br />
<br />
And the frosted leaves,<br />
were touched by the Golden Sun’s glorious rays.<br />
But so high the piercing wind had lifted them,<br />
They were caught,<br />
in the holy embrace,<br />
of the angelic clouds.<br />
<br />
– Ellie Chang, Jasmine's 2nd-4th Grade Classmate<br />
</p>
<!----- Footnotes ----->Jasmine PsarisWritten by Ellie Chang, Jasmine's 2nd-4th Grade ClassmateSkinny Friend2014-12-25T00:00:00-05:002014-12-25T00:00:00-05:00https://jasmine.psaris.com/poems/skinny-friend<h1 id="jasmine">Jasmine</h1>
<div style="clear: both;">
<div style="float: right; margin-right: 10em;width:33%; height:33%">
<img src="/assets/images/skinny_friend.jpg" alt="" />
</div>
<div>
<p class="verse">
Jasmine is a sticky note,<br />
sticking with me from 2nd to 4th grade<br />
<br />
Jasmine is a horse<br />
with swift, long and fast legs<br />
carrying her over the course<br />
<br />
Jasmine is a comedian<br />
she whips up<br />
a whole lot of laughter<br />
when she's near<br />
<br />
Jasmine is a monkey<br />
she loved to swing from tree to tree<br />
with her long black hair trailing behind<br />
having fun all day<br />
<br />
But what Jasmine truly is<br />
is my great (but skinny) friend!<br />
<br />
– Ellie Chang, Jasmine's 2nd-4th Grade Classmate<br />
</p>
</div>
</div>
<!----- Footnotes ----->Jasmine PsarisWritten by Ellie Chang, Jasmine's 2nd-4th Grade Classmate