Mom with Impact : Fighting to Live
DONNA PENNY
As moms , we desire to protect our children from pain . We want to shield them from harm that would diminish their sense of hope and excitement for the future . When our ability to protect them is threatened , the level of loss we feel overwhelms us , stirring up feelings of inadequacy and guilt . Donna Penny knows these feelings all too well .
Donna was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time at 35 years old . After a double mastectomy , this wife and mother thought she had beat cancer only to be diagnosed again 5 years later , in 2013 . This time the cancer had spread to other parts of her body and was now terminal . Given only 2 years to live , Donna is past what she calls her ' expiry date ' and refuses to allow cancer to take away her passion for life . She opened a hair salon with her friends . Donna continues to live life to the fullest .
Faced with the challenge of sharing her diagnosis with her son Kai , Donna searched for books to help him understand what was happening to mummy . After finding few resources , Donna decided to write her own story to help other families cope with cancer . Fighting to live , Donna is one of the most courageous and tenacious women we have met . CEOMOM Magazine is excited to share her story in hopes to inspire other moms diagnosed with cancer to fight to live .