BOSTON -- The New England Spinal Cord Injury Center at Boston Medical Center was scheduled to honor Dana Reeve, Christopher Reeve's wife, for all her efforts into the research and rehabilitation for spinal cord injury patients Thursday.

But, Reeve passed away just a month ago from lung cancer and one of her sisters will accept the honor on her behalf.

"She's been dead a month, and I think it still doesn't seem real to any of us at all," said Deborah Morisini.

Morisini said she misses the daily laughs with her younger sister, Dana.

"She was a lot of fun. And even in Dana's illness, she still had a very good sense of humor," Morisini said.

Reeve lost her battle with lung cancer in March, but tragedy and loss were all too familiar to this family. They lost their mother and Dana's husband within 18 months of each other.

"(Dana) really didn't (ask why) and I commend her for not asking why because there's not an answer," Morisini said.

Instead, Morisini said, after a horseback riding accident left Christopher Reeve paralyzed, the couple set out to improve the quality of life for people living with disabilities, specifically spinal cord injuries.

"This kind of environment, whether she wanted it or not, became a big part of her life," Morisini said. "I think Dana's whole experience of it was what do you do in that moment, and how do you help those people? Whereas for Chris, he was now, how do we get out of the wheelchair? And how do we fix this situation?"

"Before Chris was injured, this was such a hidden population because people are housebound. And I think they really, in looking into the community saw this, and thought was can we do to get people to engage more fully in their outside lives?" Morisini said.

Helping patients become more independent is the goal of the New England Spinal Cord Injury Center. Patients can learn the skills they need to live a new life.

"This is the kind of facility that can provide immediate assistance, community excellent care," Morisini said.

Morisini will accept an honorary award on behalf of her sister's work in spinal cord injuries. But she said she will accept the award knowing it was Christopher Reeve's mission, too.

"We lost a big figure with Chris, he was a big leader," Morisini said. "I think Dana really felt the mantle of having to be two people. Dana didn't always feel like doing what she had to do, she had a lot to do, and she did it very willingly, but you sort of feel like, of course, I'll do that for you."

Actor Meryl Streep will present the award to Morisini.