Donna Day

Waking up this morning with my girlies snuggling next to me, I grabbed my phone to fix my blurry eyes on some facebook before I started my day. My newsfeed was filled with my mom blogger friends posting about Donna.

Today is Donna Day.

I couldn't take my eyes off of this beautiful face on my screen.

                                                                           Donna

Smiker and Love Monster opened their eyes and looked as well.

Smirker: Who that?

Me: That's Donna.

Smirker: I like the purple. Cover her owie?

Me: Yeah.

Love Monster: She looks so cool! I want her to come over and play.

Me: Love Monster, she can't.

And as if she somehow knew...

Love Monster: Mama, did she grow up?

Me (holding back tears): No babe.

Love Monster: Oh. (She knew what I meant)

Me: Let's try to help some kids like her today though.

Love Monster and Smirker: YES!!!


I fell in love with Donna about a year and half ago when I started reading Mary Tyler Mom's blog. Donna was her daughter. Donna died of an aggressive brain tumor in 2009 when she was 4 years old.  When I read Donna's story, so beautifully written by her mother, my life changed. Donna will forever hold a piece of my heart. Her story made me hold my girl a little tighter. Her story made me sad and angry that cancer robs kids of their childhood and in some cases their lives. Her story made me want to help this cause as much as possible.

So today is Donna day. Read her story. Check out St. Badrick's and consider helping in some way. Pediatric cancer needs the funding. If you live in Illinois, you can donate when you do your taxes.

Mary Tyler Mom and Dad also started Donna's Good Things to honor Donna and help kids with cancer find some good things.

Kids are not supposed to die. Of course you all know that. But after reading Donna's story, it made it personal. Kids are not supposed to die. Donna was not supposed to die.

Love to you Mary Tyler Mom. You are amazing. Thank you for sharing Donna's story.        

And if any of you don't follow Mary Tyler Mom on Facebook, do it! She is such a great positive force in this world and funny as hell.  (And she's a Chicagoan, so that makes her awesome.)