Donna Day 2015: Baby You’re a Firework

Today is Donna Day.  This year is the 4th year I’ve written about sweet Donna and her mama.  My previous posts are here and here.  I really loved those posts.  I love them as much today as I did when I wrote them. But it feels like we keep repeating ourselves.  Let’s work to stop that.

The first St. Baldrick’s event I attended in 2012 was incredible.  They all are.  But this one had a flashmob dance party organized to Baby You’re a Firework.  And I’ve never seen such joy and gratitude and enthusiasm in my life.  For one little girl in particular.  Donna.  I’ve never heard that song since without smiling through tears.

Sheila is Donna’s mama and my dear friend.  As I detailed here, Sheila and I have a bang up time together.  We also get each other.  We give each other shit and we have fun together.  It’s not a relationship I need to be careful with, it’s just really easy and lovely.  Even when we are dealing with quite difficult shit. One of my favorite things is when we get both of our families together and play.  Because these kids, man.  We know exactly how fortunate we are for every single day we have with them.

I really loved that my girl got to wear so many of sweet Donna’s clothes. Sheila brought us a bunch.  But at a point, there are no more clothes to grow into.  Because there is no more Donna.

And that sucks.  There is no way around it, that sucks.

This is Donna.

She was a vibrant, curious, smart, funny, kind little girl who was taken way too soon.

But we keep talking about her always.  And all these other kids.  WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THEM BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT.

I know way too many sick kids.  I know way too many families with kids who aren’t here any longer.  That is not ok.  These are KIDS.  These are kids just like yours and mine.  It’s an entirely helpless feeling when someone you know gets sick. Let alone a tiny little kid or baby.  A BABY.  All these babies.  We can help in several ways.  Links at the bottom of this post.

Last year when I wrote about Donna I didn’t yet know my  friend Kitty who lost her Aidan.

I know all about Kitty and her adorable, sweet, funny boy now.  We have his playset out in our backyard!  We will keep honoring them by sliding and having fun.  You can read Aidan’s story here.  

I didn’t yet know that our friends Christa and CW were to find out that their baby boy Eddie was soon to be diagnosed.

Christa and CW have been through more than anybody should ever have to endure in one lifetime.  It’s not my story to tell,  so I won’t, but now this. FUCK YOU CANCER.  With all you can muster, I ask you to pray, throw your good energy, send well wishes and just love their way.  Their story and gofundme is here.  

Here’s the thing.  These are healthy kids, just like yours and mine until one day they aren’t.  And then everything changes in a heartbeat.  When people say to me, your kids are growing up so fast!  Keep them babies!  First of all, time is perfect. They are growing exactly as they should be and we appreciate every moment.  Also, NO.  NO NO NO.  We want healthy growing kids, always.  For everyone.  That’s why this is so important.

I’d never known what true strength of character looks until I met and read about and spent time with these families.  They buck up because they have to.  BUT WHY DO THEY HAVE TO?

Today is Donna Day.  This year is the 4th year I’ve written about sweet Donna and her mama.  My previous posts are here and here.  I really loved those posts.  I love them as much today as I did when I wrote them.  But it feels like we keep repeating ourselves.  Let’s work to stop that so we don’t have to keep repeating ourselves.

The thing is, the years keep passing yet sweet Donna’s face remains the same.  Let’s keep working hard to keep progressing in finding a cure.  In making sure that so many kids faces aren’t frozen in time.  Cut way too short.

We love you Donna, oh yes we do.  We love you Donna, and we’ll be true.  When you’re not near us, we’re blue.  Oh Donna we love you.

ALL THE IMPORTANT LINKS ARE HERE: 

Here is a link with all kinds of information about Childhood Cancer, specifically.

Here is a link about why we need funding and organizations like St. Baldricks.

Here is the link to Donna’s Cancer Story.

Here is the main link to the St. Baldrick’s event at Candlelite on March 28th honoring Donna and so many others.  You can donate here!  Or shave your head?  Or go to the event and eat and drink for a good cause and meet my family too!

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