Angelica Sarmiento Bailey “Angel”, 44, of Milton, Georgia, passed away May 6th. Her uniquely positive spirit and attitude in living her short life to the fullest translated to the grace, tenacity and dignity that she displayed in her courageous 3 year battle with breast cancer. Angel is survived by her husband of 16 years, Brian, her 3 children Amara, Nicholas, and Samuel, Brothers Noel and Numeriano Sarmiento, Sisters Emelita Pesigan, Sally Chironis, Neilla Cortes, Nanette Magpantay, and a devoted number of nieces and nephews.
Angel was born and raised in San Pablo City, Philippines, graduating from Canossa College. Upon emigrating to the U.S. in 1990, she continued on to receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Seton Hall University. Angel further received a Master of Science degree as a Critical Care Nurse Practitioner (CCNP) from Columbia University. Angel had the privilege of working in the field she loved as a CCNP, forever focused on her patients and their needs best delivered by her quick wit, compassion and care at the bedside. She worked in some of the world’s leading hospitals including Mount Sinai Hospital (New York City, NY), Kaiser Permanente (San Francisco, CA), U.S. Embassy (Singapore), and Miami Valley Hospital (Dayton, OH).
Angel’s battle with breast cancer began in March of 2015, and following chemo treatment and a double mastectomy, she celebrated a year later with a positive set of scans and cancer-free outlook, and a reborn sense of purpose for life. Approximately one year later, Angel’s cancer had returned with rapid progression to her brain in late 2017. With a “dream team” of medical friends and family, Angel aggressively fought her brain mets and systemic cancer, until her passing in May due to liver and kidney complications. Without her amazing dream team, and her unrelenting positive spirit,
Angel would not have received the aggressive, and effective, treatments to battle her brain cancer effectively, including a lifetime of memories in her final five months. Angel’s life, courage and cancer experience is a critical example of the importance of METAvivor’s cause as we strive to turn Stage 4 cancer into a chronic illness.
Memorial donations can be made at https://secure.metavivor.org/page/contribute/angelswish.
