Heithaus, along with Cynthia Cornell, another English professor, would visit Marchese at the hospital. Despite Polly's illness, she was able to put people at ease, Heithaus said. And she wrote until the very end. When Heithaus visited Polly in the hospital last Monday, she attempted to scrawl out notes. In addition to Marchese's mother and father, survivors include her brother, Stephen, who is a senior in high school.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Polly's death comes at a time when students and community members are planning for Relay for Life, a 24-hour event that helps raise money for cancer research. The event begins Saturday at noon in Blockstock Stadium.