90-year-old turns down cancer treatment, goes on road trip instead

Norma in the car at Trail Ridge Road at Rocky Mountain National Park. (Photo courtesy Driving Miss Norma/Facebook)

Norma at Epcot, Walt Disney World, in Orlando, Florida. (Photo courtesy Driving Miss Norma/Facebook)

Norma pictured at Yellowstone National Park. (Photo courtesy Driving Miss Norma/Facebook)

Norma had two choices. She could get treatment for uterine cancer, or she could go on the trip of a lifetime across the US. "I'm 90 years old, I'm hitting the road," she told her doctor in July, opting to skip surgery, radiation, and chemo.

Diagnosed two days after the death of her husband of 67 years, Norma is now six months into an epic adventure with her son, Tim; daughter-in-law, Ramie; and the couple's poodle, Ringo, reports ABC News.

They left Michigan in August in an RV and have since visited Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, the Rocky Mountains, Kennedy Space Center, Disney World, Roswell, and the Grand Canyon.

The entire trip—with no set end date, per Today.com—is being documented on Facebook via Driving Miss Norma, which has received more than 63,000 likes and 100,000 page views, per the Epoch Times.

"Miss Norma and family you are an inspiration—a lesson to us all—our time is precious we all need to share it with those we love," writes one fan in England.

Norma tells Good News Network that she's surprised so many people are interested in "little ol' me," but "I'm pleased to know that I can be an inspiration to so many." Her doctor supported her decision, Ramie writes, saying, "You are doing exactly what I would want to do in this situation." "She's getting healthier, I think, from eating well and being outside a lot," Ramie adds.

Ringo has taken his therapy role very seriously. Norma is not into the edges part of this adventure. He made sure she was calm while sitting on the edge of the abyss.

Posted by Driving Miss Norma on Sunday, November 8, 2015

But what is Norma like on the road? "She's very quiet and humble, and then she has this streak of adventure that surprises us," Ramie says.

"We see a spark in her eye that we haven't seen in a very long time. She's up for most anything." (A 93-year-old traveled 10,000 miles to be with his lost love.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: 90-Year-Old's Cancer Treatment: an Epic Road Trip

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