It’s that time again: today is Donna Day, a day on which I am joining a huge group of bloggers in trying to create some waves regarding childhood cancer.
Donna Day is named for the daughter of my friend (and 2013 LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER CHICAGO cast member) Sheila Quirke, who blogs under the name Mary Tyler Mom. Sheila and her husband Jeremy, who also have two young sons, lost their beloved Donna in 2009. Donna’s Cancer Story is documented in a series of thirty-two posts that Sheila wrote. Their story is hard to read but I think it’s so important to read anyway. No family should have to go through what they did.
What I love about Sheila is her decision to actively choose hope. In fact, her reading at last year’s LTYM show was about just that. Please watch and be inspired.
These days, Sheila parents Donna by telling her story and spreading awareness of pediatric cancer by doing good things in Donna’s name. Literally. Donna’s Good Things, a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation started by Sheila and Jeremy, works to provide joyful opportunities for children facing adversity.
The mission of the Donna Day campaign, in its third year, is to promote and raise money for the “Donna’s Good Things” team headshaving event for St. Baldrick’s–which funds Pediatric cancer research–on March 29. In just two years, this team has raised $195,000 for childhood cancer research. Any donation, no matter how small, can help them reach their goal. You all know that a lot of little things add up, so if you have five dollars to spare, would you please consider making a donation? All you have to do is click over to the team page and click the green “Donate” button. If you want to go the extra mile and get your head shaved as part of “Donna’s Good Things”, you can sign up there, too. I know that Sheila, her husband, their family, and the rest of “Donna’s Good Things” will appreciate any support you can offer. Even sharing this post or one of the other Donna Day posts out there today will help! (P.S. You can “like” Donna’s Good Things on Facebook here, if you want to stay posted on all of those good things!)
On behalf of my friend Sheila, her family, and her many supporters (not to mention all of the families who are dealing with childhood cancer), thank you so much for reading, for considering. I’ll end with a video from Donna’s Radiothon that benefitted Lurie Children’s Hospital, so you can put a face to Donna’s name, and more thanks: thank you.
