Avid volunteer, soccer lover and devoted wife and mother Cindy Holland, 65, died Oct. 3, from complications of systematic lupus erthematosus.
It had started as a year of unsuccessful diagnoses — a chronic rash, fatigue, muscle weakness. In December 1998, Holland finally got her answer.
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the body’s own healthy cells, tissues and organs. It falls into the classification of “arthritis,” which is a collective term for many auto-immune diseases and is treated by rheumatologists. There is no known cure.
For Mrs. Holland, the disease got worse before it got better. In 2001, the disease had ravaged her muscles, so much so that she was unable to walk alone. She was admitted to the hospital for three weeks after a cold further complicated things. After 22 days, she entered rehabilitation. And after 33 days in rehab, she was able to walk out of the facility and return home.
This gave her a new purpose in life. She had learned of the Arthritis Foundation’s annual campaign to raise awareness and funds for research. One involved a hike near Dublin, Ireland.
Her husband, Jack Holland, director of Plant City’s Recreation & Parks Department, encouraged her to train for the hike. In 2003, they completed it.
“I will always remember her courage to fight the disease and also her ability to talk with and educate others about it,” Jack said.
Mrs. Holland dived deeper into finding a cure. The couple became involved with the Alliance for Lupus Research, a non-profit that raises money for prevention, treatment and medical research.
The Hollands were part of the organizing committee of the first Inagural Florida Suncoast Walk with Us to Cure Lupus. It consisted of 20 walks nationwide. The local walk was held in Tampa. The Hollands also traveled in 2007, to Washington D.C., for a national volunteer meeting for ARL. They won the Founder’s Award for the Tampa run.
Mrs. Holland also was involved in youth soccer, first at North Lakeland Youth Soccer as a board member and coach. Later, she helped for the Plant City Area Soccer Club and served as a board member, coach and concessions manager. She was involved with the Recreation & Parks Department and Optimist Youth Soccer Program as a coach, referee and concessions manager.
She also worked as a bookkeeper for several CPA firms in Plant City and Lakeland. She retired in 2012 because of lupus.
In late July 2014, following a family vacation in Key Largo, Cindy developed severe pain in her lower back radiating to her right foot. Originally diagnosed as a probable lower-back problem, she was in excruciating pain for almost two weeks following several doctor visits and finally having to go to Lakeland Regional Medical Center Aug. 9. The day before going to the hospital, a rash developed on her foot, and that prompted the doctors to diagnose the severe pain as shingles.
“The following 56 days in the hospital were a roller coaster, as the pain became even worse and Cindy was under heavy medication to help counter the pain,” Jack wrote in an update. “At one point, her heart rate and blood pressure skyrocketed, putting her in the ICU for several days.”
On Oct. 3, her heart gave out twice in four hours and was restarted. Eventually, she was unable to sustain a heartbeat.
Mrs. Holland was born in Detroit but grew up mostly in Georgia and Polk County. Her passion was her children, her grandchildren and traveling.
“My favorite memories together include our times with the grandchildren and various trips we were able to take around the country and overseas,” Jack said.
She is survived by her husband, John “Jack” Holland; two sons, Stephen Jackson (Lynne) and Jason Jackson (Anne); sisters, Bunni Johnston, Marti Baker (Bruce); sister-in-law, Sara Valentine (John); grandchildren, Taylor and Rachel Jackson, and Conner and Emalie Jackson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, please send a general donation to the Alliance for Lupus Research at lupusresearch.org, where 100% of every donation goes toward lupus research.