Student dies after battle with cancer

Meg Ingram wasn't interested in nursing when she began attending the University.

Then she was diagnosed with cancer.

After going through surgery on the brain tumor and follow-up treatments, she decided to switch her major to pre-nursing during the 2007 spring semester because of the great care she received while in the hospital.

"I remember that the health care she had had such an influence in her life that she wanted to do the same thing," said Dee Dee Everitt, a sophomore majoring in interior design and one of Ingram's close friends.

Later that same semester, another brain tumor was found, but was inoperable.

Ingram, who was also a UA cheerleader, died Friday morning at Huntsville Hospital after her long battle with the disease.

Everitt was a Pi Beta Phi sorority sister of Ingram's and cheered alongside her. She said Ingram was a big leader on the team.

"She was just an extremely caring person," Everitt said. "She was always the one walking around [the sorority house], saying 'Hey' to everyone, making sure everyone was having a good day."

Everitt said she and a group of girls who had also cheered with Ingram went along with one of the cheerleading coaches to see her at the hospital Tuesday before she died.

She said they could tell things were not going well for Ingram. Everitt said she got a call from Ingram's mother Friday morning, about an hour after she died.

Everitt said since Ingram did not go through a traditional fall rush, she made time to spend at the sorority house between her busy schedule trying to get to know the other girls.

"When she wasn't making straight 'A's or going to cheer practice, she made the effort to come up to the sorority house," Everitt said.

"She tried so hard to get to know everybody and all she ever wanted was to have that close friendship [that a sorority offers]. She was extremely involved, really, really smart and really talented."

UA officials said last week President Robert Witt bestowed an honorary degree of academic achievement on Ingram for her excellent academic work.

Visitation, a memorial service and the funeral were all held at Cove United Methodist Church in Owens Cross Roads, Ala.

Visitation was held on Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. and the burial was held Sunday at 2 p.m. Those who attended the visitation and funeral were asked to avoid wearing black in compliance with Ingram's wishes. She asked attendees to wear pink instead.

Some sorority houses will be putting pink bows on their houses in Ingram's honor.

The family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations in Ingram's name should be sent to either the American Cancer Society or the Huntsville Botanical Gardens.