The following article was included in the September 09 Newsletter of The Compassionate Friends, Camdem County Chapter. Download the complete newsletter here.

D’s Dawgs

On December 4th, 2006 our world changed forever. Our daughter Danielle passed away from a brain aneurysm at the age of thirteen. We had asked everyone instead of flowers to donate money for a garden at Beck Middle School in memory of Danielle. We were amazed at the amount of people both young and old that Danielle touched in her short life with us. The amount of people, and her friends that came to pay their respect in honor of Danielle was and is still very overwhelming to us. A few months later a neighbor asked if he could hold a fund raiser at Sharp Elementary school in Danielle’s name.

It was after that Carol and I spoke about having a charity for the upkeep of the memorial garden and for Danielle’s other passions. With her love of animals, especially dogs and with all her friends calling her “D” it was only fitting that we named the charity “D’s Dawgs”.

We then met with our children, told them of our plans to start a charity, and wanted ideas of what to do to raise money. Thus we held a 5K Run/ 1 Mile walk. With the help of our neighbors and friends we had our first run on June 1st, 2008. It was a great deal of work, but we all felt it was a success. It was a very emotional day for us as June 2nd Danielle would have turned fifteen years old. Doing this has helped us try and fulfill some of the goals to commemorate what Danielle loved.

We have donated the money raised to a no-kill animal shelter, given sports camp scholarships, and day camp scholarships, to children that may not financially afford to attend. We just started a $1000.00 scholarship at Cherry Hill High School East for someone studying Veterinary medicine. We have also donated monies to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Thomas Jefferson Hospital Neuro-sciences Division.

We just had our second run on May 31st, which in today’s world with the economy the way it is, was successful. We raised more than $11,000.00. We had more runners, and walkers, more sponsors than we did last year. We hope to continue to keep Danielle’s name and memory alive. She would have turned “sweet 16” this June 2nd.

The hurt and pain is still and will always be there, as we all know, but if we can bring some awareness to the causes of Brain Aneurysms, and try to avoid having it happen to children and young adults, then we are doing something good for Danielle..

The Bledy’s

Editor’s Note: Thought you might like to know about one family in our chapter and how they have turned their hurt and pain into something positive to help others and to affirm their daughter’s life and loves.