Donna (Sunshine to me) lived her life by a simple yet powerful mantra: “Enjoy the Moments.” This sustained her through 22 years of battling cancer and facing seven independent diagnoses with a positive mindset. Instead of allowing fear and uncertainty to dominate her life, she chose to focus on the beauty of small, everyday moments—whether it was time spent with her family, conversations (with her favorite) student, or the peace she found while creating art.
For Sunshine, this attitude wasn’t just about optimism; it was about presence. During the darkest times of chemotherapy and treatments, she found strength in the details of daily life. Her ability to savor these small moments was an emotional anchor when the reality of cancer became overwhelming. No matter what she was doing, she turned every moment into an opportunity for connection and meaning.
“Enjoy the Moments” wasn’t just for herself—it was her gift to everyone around her. It was her way of letting us know that despite what she was going through, it shouldn’t be the focus. Instead, she chose laughter. Her life reminded us all that, even in the face of her greatest challenge, there was always beauty to be found when we choose to live in the moment. Her mantra lives on, inspiring all of us to find joy in the everyday, no matter the circumstances.
This is one of my favorite photos. It was taken a few days after her doctors declared her in remission. Her hair was growing back, and she was on top of the world. I love it because it reminds me of a time when she felt invincible. She walked that lap with such pride. I’ll never forget the moment we snapped this photo. As she came around the corner, we were all standing at the “finish line,” clapping and cheering. It was as if everyone around us melted away—it was her victory lap.
She threw her arms up in celebration, and none of us could help but smile. The hidden gem is the stranger in the background, smiling and just as proud of her as we were. This day was also the day we officially launched ICANCERVIVE. She was so proud of those shirts. I was so proud of her.
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