Man Plants 4 Miles Of Sunflowers In Memory Of Wife Lost To Cancer, Sells Seeds For Cancer Research

Babbette Jaquish loved sunflowers, so after she passed away from cancer, her husband Don decided to seed 400 acres of sunflowers. Thus Babbette's Seeds of Hope was born. “She got to be known as the sunflower lady of the community,” Jaquish told ABC news, “So after she passed away, I thought it would be a tribute to her to plant 4.5 miles of sunflowers on each side of Highway 85.” They were planted this June, after renting land from understanding neighbors, and have now flowered.

Don Jaquish is planning to sell the seeds and donate part of the proceeds to hospitals, research, and patient advocacy. Babbette fought with cancer from 2006 to 2014, and medical trials helped a lot with her treatments. “She realized the importance of research in clinical trials. She went from being expected live two weeks to two months to nine years,” said Jaquish. “Her attitude was everyday I can stay alive I’m one day closer to a cure.”

More info: babbettesseedsofhope.com | facebook (h/t: abcnews)

Babbette and Don Jaquish married in 2000. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 and fought it until 2014.

"She got to be known as the sunflower lady of the community"

“So after she passed away, I thought it would be a tribute to her to plant 4.5 miles of sunflowers on each side of Highway 85.”

Part of the sales money from the seeds will go towards hospitals, research and patient awareness programs.

The sunflowers go for 400 acres / 161 hectares. The seeds will be sold in 25-pound bags that bear Babbette's story.

“Everyone that ever met Babbette fell in love with her,” Jaquish said. “I was just lucky enough to be the guy that she fell in love with”

“I hope that eventually we can find a cure for cancer, so other families don’t have to go through what we have”

Drone video of the fields: