Picture a young mother watching her small children play in their yard on a beautiful March day.
The image is an idyllic one but a dark cloud surrounds it. The mom, Siobhan Rock, 39, has a fatal illness.
"I am dying, faster than we thought I would," she said.
Rock was pregnant when she was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS. It destroys muscles and there is no cure.
Rock received her diagnosis nine months ago after she began to fall and notice weakness in her hands.
Patients usually live two to five years after being diagnosed. Rock's case is progressing more quickly than usual.
But despite the heartbreaking news, Rock remains positive about life.
"For me, what is most important is to make the most of everything that I've got and to really continue to be appreciative and to look at the bright side of things," she said.
To hang onto her positivity, Rock says making good use of her sense of humour and seeing her kids smile are vital.
"What's important for me for them to learn is also to be happy," she said. "That they are in charge of their happiness."
Her dying wish is to help others living with ALS and raise awareness in hopes of finding a cure.
"If there was a cure right now then my kids would have a mom," she said. "They wouldn't have to grow up without a mom."
