"It was standard procedure to reach above your head to the pot rack, grab a strainer and drop whatever you were working on through it, " he says.

WSJ: Just One Thing

Diagnosed with brain cancer at a relatively young age, she saw Mr. Klipper when she came to the hospital for chemotherapy and other treatments, including a particularly painful procedure in which doctors administered radiation after clamping her head in a vise.

WSJ: Sometimes, Second Careers Are a Leap of Faith