(Photo Courtesy of Deseret News)
The Mormon Women Project is a continually expanding digital library of interviews with Latter-day Saint women around the world. In 2010, they interviewed Ruth Lybbert Renlund, whose husband was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles this past week. Take a look at their exclusive interview and learn more about Ruth’s unique journey. Below is an excerpt. View the whole thing here.
Q: A cross-country move for your husband’s medical training, a new baby, and an unexpected illness led you down a different path that ended up with you going to law school. What happened during that period of time?
A: We moved to Baltimore, Maryland for my husband’s internship and medical residency. I had my daughter, Ashley, one week before Dale started his internship. A year later when I was 25, when Ashley was just sixteen months old, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The disease is very rare in young women; it’s commonly found in older childless women. Thankfully it was caught early. I underwent a total hysterectomy, nine months of chemotherapy, and a second surgery. My doctor told me that if I survived five years I would be considered cured. I didn’t expect to have a huge family, but I always thought we’d have more children, so we grieved when we found out that we’d only have one child. Of course, adoption was an option, but because my health was uncertain, we weren’t sure if I would be around to raise the child I had. I prayed for guidance, and at that point we knew our family was complete. I was impressed to go to law school and fulfill a deep-seated desire.
Aleah is a graduate of Southern Virginia University, where she studied English, Creative Writing, and Dance. She now works full time as a marketing and product manager, writer, and editor. She currently hosts the podcast “Single to the Glory” about singlehood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Aleah served a mission in California and loves baking, Lang Leav poetry, Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, and Bollywood movies.
