Entertainment
Best Diem Brown Quotes on Life, Love, and Hope, Because the MTV Star Was Full of Powerful Words
Family, friends, and fans are mourning the loss of Diem Brown. The MTV reality star from The Challenge passed away early Friday after a near decade-long battle against cancer. Brown was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the age of 23 and was in the clear in 2013, until tragically the cancer returned to her stomach and colon, then spread to her lymph nodes and liver. Throughout her fight against cancer, Brown documented the many physical and emotional challenges she endured as a means of raising awareness and connecting with those who also suffered.
What is perhaps Brown's greatest achievement was creating MedGift, an online registry for people to donate to those facing medical-related hardships. Her selfless work and inspiring attitude will live on for many years to come.
In memory of her too-short, but incredible life, here are some of her most meaningful words.
The Power of Positive Thinking
In an interview with People Magazine , “I believe in power and positive thinking, I can see myself with a family, I can see myself getting married, I see all of these things…I’ve had one or two brief moments where I felt like my body was shutting down no matter what my mind was thinking, and I’m like, ‘What the hell? Shut up!’ You legit have to start fighting with yourself. You can’t let your mind go there, ever.”
How Diem Lived Her Life
Speaking to People just last month, “It’s my personal perspective that you live as hard and as vigorously as you can.”
Never Losing Hope
Just two days ago, Brown tweeted, ”I NEED PRAyErs and advice my doctors are seemingly giving up but I won’t & can’t rollover. Whatever option I have to LIVE I’m grabbing!”
Image: DiemBrownMTV/Twitter
Showing Her True Self
After taking her wig off for the first time on The Challenge , Brown commented, “I can hear the shock like ‘Oh,’ and then I hear Derrick and he’s like, ‘D, you look good!’ and then I start crying because it feels nice,”
Image: Diem Brown/YouTube
Her Concept for MedGift
“We celebrate the birth of a child with a baby registry. We celebrate the joining of two lives with a wedding registry. But when someone gets sick, the only celebration is when you’re getting better. There’s really no celebration when your’e fighting to get better. I realized how isolating that is for the patient, and even for the people who want to help out. A registry takes the pride out of [the equation when] asking for help, and my goal was to make it as commonplace as it is for weddings or as it is for baby showers to ask for help when you’re undergoing medical treatments,” she told Hudson Mod .
Image: DiemBrown/Instagram
Being Honest About Her Journey
In September, Brown said to People , “It’s important to me to share the realness of my journey to help show that ‘healthy’ isn’t a quick before-and-after picture… But instead it’s okay to admit that at times it’s hard, that it can be tough.”
Why She Documented Her Cancer
“It wasn’t always glamorous, but the more you talk about something, the less scary it is,” she said to Hudson Mod about her People blog.
Defining Luxury
“Working hard and then treating yourself for that hard work,” she said in an interview with Hudson Mod .
Enjoying the simple things
On a trip to the beach this past summer, Brown posted on her Instagram, ”Nothing like the sound of ocean waves crashing the shore, your feet pressing down into the sand as you feel the sun warm your body & fill your spirit! #Gratitude I LOVE waking up early, grabbing a coffee/tea & reflecting on every blessing you have been given! #montauk #BeachGirl #SoloTime”
Image: DiemBrown/Instagram
The Importance of The Patient's Voice
While speaking at a forum about Patient-centric care, “We’ve heard about the engaged patient for years – where is the engaged industry?”
Never having a "Case of the Mondays"
“I love Mondays bc it feels like a fresh start. So give people you have known a fresh set of eyes, as we all learn & grow from our experiences & mistakes. So signing off Sunday - bring it on fresh start Monday in every way,” she wrote on her Instagram.
