Donna Day

My friend and blogger Sheila (Mary Tyler Mom to her many thousands of readers) writes about a lot of things. She writes about motherhood and gun control and aging parents. When celebrity awards season strikes, she writes the hilarious Fashion Commentary from a Middle Aged Mom. She makes you laugh and she makes you think.

But one of the most powerful and important things Sheila has written is a series of posts about her daughter Donna–specifically, Donna’s treatment for an aggressive brain tumor that was diagnosed when she was 20 months old. The 31 posts, one for each month of treatment, were called Donna’s Cancer Story and published on Chicago Now. The series documented the emotional roller coasters, the fear and joy and pain, the triumphs and tragedy, and ultimately, Donna’s death at the age of four.

Today is Donna Day, a day to honor Donna’s life, to remember her and so many children who have faced this terrible disease–and to help those who are facing it right now. On Donna Day, bloggers come together for an important fundraising campaign. Sheila and her husband celebrate Donna through a non-profit they established called Donna’s Good Things. For the fourth year, Donna’s Good Things is raising money via a head-shaving event in Chicago on Saturday March 28th to support St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest private funder of pediatric cancer research in the country.

Consider these realities:

• More US children will die from cancer than any other disease.
• Before the age of 20, 1 in 300 boys and 1 in 333 girls will be diagnosed with cancer.
• Worldwide, a child is diagnosed with cancer every three minutes.

To date, the Donna’s Good Things campaign has raised more than $277,000 for pediatric cancer research. They’ve set a goal of raising $40,000 this year. If you can donate, please visit the Donna’s Good Things Team Page (click on the green button to donate). Any amount will honor Donna and so many other children, and every penny will make a difference.

Thank you.