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Your Angel, Brenda's Interests
General
PRE-CANCER: (acute myeloid luekemia)
Brenda LOVED talking with family and friends, jogging, anything fitness, socializing, dancing, surfing the net, learning about new things, triathlon racing, laughing, singing, playing with kids, walking, and playin' frisbee with dog, ernie.
Oh yeah, and who could forget about vacationing, snorkeling, doing cheap family activities, SMILING, always making NEW useful meaningful friendships and harboring old ones, partying, organizing group get-togethers, HELPING OTHERS, walking, lifting heavy weights, eating chocolate, critiquing good tasting pizza (like Rosati's), watching A's games, watching Trevor play baseball, and watching Jarrett hip hop dance.
Post Cancer Diagnosis:
Brenda continued to love talking with family, and friends, but also welcomed into the mix friends,doctors, nurses, social workers, and hospital personnel.
She tried her hardest to battle chemo, just like many others that face this challenge. She also enjoyed the needed love and support that seeped in and out of the hospital walls, coping with challenge of dial up internet access, trying to sleep, trying to stay awake and coherent (morphine moves you to another plane), learning how to enjoy isolation (she wanted to chat with an inmate!), and looking forward to when her kids could visit for 15 minutes.
Brenda enjoyed reading biographies about successful people, analyzing group and pscychlogical dynamics of this whole excursion, sometimes enjoying the solitude of a quiet room, and too many others to list...
Current:
Being an angel and watching over my precious family and friends!
Music
50's thru 90's, hip hop, local live music, disco, party favorites, rap, rock n roll, live jazz, and classic country!
Movies
Office Space, Grease, Fatal Attraction, Falling Down, Shrek, Babe, Blues Brothers, In America, and Lost in Translation!
Television
Breaking Bonaduce - VH1, Oprah, Dr. Phil, Animal Planet
Books
Brenda loved reading non-fiction. Mostly biographies. Marley and Me, and The Glass Castle.
Heroes
Caregivers and Danny, Danny, Danny... (Is that Danny Bonaduce, or Danny Zuko?)
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamonds glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awake in the morning's hush
I am the soft uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there. I did not die.
Mary Frye
This page is dedicated to all of those who have been, and continue to be, inspired by Brenda Donato. Here we will come together and keep Brenda's memory alive. We will support each other. In honoring Brenda's life, we will strengthen our own...
A brief history:
Brenda spent 3 months of 2005 in hospital w/ acute myeloid leukemia. She was enjoying life "just fine" when she had a relapse in June 2006. After using her own stem cells for a transplant in 2005 she required a donor's cells. Most fortunately, a 9 out of 10 match was found and Brenda had a transplant Sept 20, 2006.
While recovering, Brenda faced many physical and mental challenges. 110 days after her transplant, Brenda developed graft vs. host disease of the lungs. She bravely battled this new obstacle, and left us on April 14, 2007.
Brenda leaves behind a husband, 2 spirited boys (9 and 6 at the time) and continues to have many loving, soothing, supportive family and friends!
Overall, Brenda was ambitious, fit, and consistent. She enjoyed quality long-term relationships and friendships, and worked hard to gain and maintain meaningful relationships with humans and pets in her life.
Please continue to visit this site. Post inspirational comments, seek support from others, and share your story with us. Brenda was always called, "The Connector." It's only appropriate we remain connected here on earth while she watches over us as an angel.
Who I'd like to meet:
Brenda always wanted to meet DANNY BONADUCE and other cool people that were going thru the same thing as her, and she wanted to cultivate the great family and friend relationships she had.
"Life is becoming more precious and dramatic everyday for me and my family."
I will be thinking of you this weekend when I complete my first full marathon at RNR in San Diego. You will be on my back and I will be wearing my Team Brenda socks as well...Miss you!
We are wishing you the best Mothers Day Ever !!!! Robin got a new Digital Camera; she needed one hers was on its last leg. Her camera came in perfect timing. We are trying to get well as we both are sick (Sad Face) we will now direct our attention to Robins health and treatment plan. We need to get her test done to see if the fluid in her abdomen is cancer or not. We put everything on hold for Relay. Robin really wanted to make it to Relay and she did so now we can focus on her health and doing what we need to do. I will keep you posted. We hope you have a great day and we send tons of love and hugs your way !!!!!!!
Missing you chica...I was in Chicago (of all places) last week on "the day" and wouldn't you know the girl working the front desk of my hotel was named Donata?
I cannot believe our relay is right around the corner. All this hard work is about to pay off. I have been super glued to my laptop and we have so any donations it is unreal. I umpired a couple of games today and Robin is taking a nap right now. I think the hardest thing is the not knowing. I think once we know for sure if the cancer is in the abdomen we can deal with it come up with a plan. This whole is it there is it not? One dr saying this one Dr saying that. Sigh. Robin is allot more tired the past two weeks than normal. Her pain of course is a constant battle. We hope you are having a great evening and we send you tons of love and hugs !!!!!!
missing you and loving you lots today. watching your ashes soar in the wind was incredible. You are missed so much, B. I can't believe it has been a year. you have an amazing family and group of friends......we all carry on with you in our hearts. love you, my angel.
I know you were out there yesterday. I felt you. It was a beautiful day. You're favorite kind and a real contrast to last year. So many smiling people paying tribute to you. It was amazing. I know you're safe ,happy, free, but I can't help but miss you my friend. You're family is as beautiful as ever. We carry on in your name. xxoo, j
hi baby girl i still feel your smiles and still miss those late nite phone calls when you couldnt sleep. so many people are doing so many things in your honor. u will never be 4-gotten. i luv u and miss u. mama sherrie
I have been thinking about you a lot Brenda...you were amazing. I told your story to my mentees yesterday as we were out on the coast putting in our miles getting ready for RNR...I miss you!
I miss you ever single day. No lie. Every single one. My heart is hurting today as I lost yet another friend. You are still so loved and so much on my mind.
I drove through the "trailor park" a few weeks ago and I found myself standing in front of your old home. It didn't feel the same anymore. Of course, it has been many, many years since you have lived there, however, the memories filled the air. The trailor home looks run down, a gloom feel to it. I am glad you moved out and on from there. You always knew there was more out there for you. I just received news about our high school reunion. It will be this year, 20 years. Can you believe it, 20 years!!! You will be missed at the reunion. I love you, my friend.
I hope you have met up with our Danielle. This desease takes the good and decent and leaves the rest of us to cope. Danielle lost her battle at 29. Leaving life long friends and a wonderful family. I know the two of you will find love and comfort in each other.
