I remember like it was yesterday. It was a Summer Friday in early July and Philadelphia was starting to empty as people headed to the shore. As luck would have it, I was again working just down the block from Jenny, so we planned to meet at the Starbucks on Market and 20th street before heading to Cape May. She came bouncing into the car with her beach essentials and an iced coffee dusted with cinnamon, her trademark move….because “do you know how many health benefits there are in cinnamon” she would say. To this day I cannot drink a cup of coffee without cinnamon. We spent the next two hours chatting about recipes, our favorite new Philly hangouts, reminiscing about Michigan and Manhattan and how long were were going to stay on the beach…cause what is better than wrapped in a towel at the end of crisp beach day. But there is something I distinctly remember that I’ve never gotten out of my head. Jenny was sharing a concern and just said, “you know what I think I just always thought I would die young,” followed by a casual smile and and questions…”When is Christine getting down to Cape May?”
That was Jenny…always with a smile and bright eyes and forever cramming so much life into each day. Being nominated as a Health Hero is an incredible honor but has brought me back to why my sister and I founded The Bee Foundation 10 years ago. It was to keep Jenny’s spirit alive and find a way to stop the suffering from this devastating disease along with the tremendous spider web of grief it causes.
THE TRUE HERO is Jenny. She has given the gift of this organization to so many people who rely on the community we have built to get through each day as a survivor, loved one who has lost someone or researcher who is persevering and breaking boundaries to prevent this disease. She gave our family the gift to come together and make sense out of this tragedy. Jenny, we thank you, for giving us the strength to build this organization and giving Christine and I the gift of doing this together.
Please take a moment to learn more about The Bee Foundation and Brain Aneurysms. I know it will be worth your while and you WILL save a life, we promise.
VOTE FOR ERIN TODAY and EVERY DAY UNTIL JULY 29th FOR THE PHILADELPHIA HEALTH HERO.
