LIFE MATTERS MEDIA STAFF

OLYMPIA, Wash. – An 87-year-old hospice patient participated in the Women’s March in Olympia over the weekend, an event she praises God for.

Mary Tanasse of Lacey is enrolled in hospice care for terminal ovarian cancer. Local reporters spotted her in a wheelchair on Capitol Way on Saturday, being pushed by one of her grandsons and surrounded by dozens of family members.

“I asked them ‘Please let me live until this march’ because it was so important for me to model what I feel is right for my family,” Tanasse told Seattle’s King 5 news.

Tanasse has 9 kids and 27 grand and great grandkids, according to King 5. Her extended family had originally planned to attend the Woman’s March in Washington, D.C. However, when they learned of her wish, they changed their plans.

Tanasse told The Olympian a desire for gender equality drew her to the march.

Mary Tanasse, 87, is on hospice but the #marchonoly was on her bucket list. So she made it here! pic.twitter.com/YLyCSqUIlo — Amelia Dickson (@Amelia_Oly) January 21, 2017

“I made it and it’s a beautiful day,” she added. “I praise God and hopefully the nation will make an impact so we’ll all be heard.”

The local report went viral, sparking headlines across the nation and garnering thousands of comments on social media.

Hospice care aims to provide comfort care and pain management rather than aggressive treatments – usually for terminally ill patients with six months or less to live. Hospice is most often used when curative treatments are no longer effective.