LEHI — Kris Belcher has met challenges head-on since she was a baby.
Diagnosed with retinal blastoma cancer at seven months, she's never enjoyed 20-20 or even 20-200 vision. She's also never been totally free of a number of physical challenges including cancer and spinal meningitis.
The dark-haired, determined woman has fought through life pretty much relying on severely limited vision in one eye. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in recreational management, and she served an LDS mission to Kentucky.
Now, at 33, with two young boys, a new business and a husband to care for, she's totally blind.
But she's not giving up.
She's scared but she's not discouraged, even though she's been through three traumatic surgeries since December after doctors found tumors in her right eye — tumors caused by the radiation treatments she'd had as an infant.
"It's OK that it's not fair. I don't feel mad. I'm not pleased, but I'm not the one in charge," Belcher said, holding 1-year-old Benjamin on her lap while 5-year-old Christopher takes flying leaps from a plastic jump toy.
"We're just grateful for what we have because there was a real serious week where we didn't think I would live. We were scared to death."
"The biggest reward is that we're still a family," she added. "Somehow I'll learn to be a wife and a mother again. Somehow our little family will get stronger."
James Belcher says he has no doubt his wife will survive and surprise those around her.
"She's a survivor. She's never been the kind of person who is defeated by anything. She comes through," he said.
The Belchers had just opened a flower shop in an old home on Lehi's Main Street when Kris Belcher noticed her vision getting steadily worse.
"If we'd known what was coming, we probably wouldn't have opened the business," James Belcher said. "We would have put it on hold simply out of fear of the financial implications."
While Flowers on Main continues to grow, start-up costs and old medical bills make it hard for the family to break even. Owning his own business, however, has allowed James the freedom to come home as necessary to help his wife.
"James is the talent. He creates unique and beautiful designs," Kris Belcher said.
The two are facing the future optimistically.
Insurance is helping with the mounting medical bills and family, LDS ward members and friends are helping them cope.
"We just really, overall, feel incredibly blessed," Kris Belcher said. "We've had miracle after miracle to keep me here. The greatest comfort is my Heavenly Father. I have just felt him with me every step of the way."
Belcher will be taking classes from the Utah State Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired to help her learn to keep house and care for her children without the ability to see.
She plans to continue crocheting, which she can already do well without looking at the stitches, and working on her computer — only with speech enhancement.
She's already planning to completely organize her home so it's baby-safe and so things are where she expects them to be.
The doctors have told her the cancer appears to be arrested and her children, so far, show no signs of the blastoma which is passed on genetically, although Benjamin does have the gene.
She's taking solace in being alive and being able to hug her babies tight.
"This little boy heals my heart," she said, wrapping Benjamin in a bear hug. "I'm scared, but I hold onto the promises I've received in my (LDS priesthood) blessings."
E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com