Erin Donnelly...
Ladybugs and soccer. Shelties. A black Volkswagen Jetta. "Footprints." Church youth group. Ordering in Chinese food or pizza and watching a movie with good friends. Stuffed animals of all kinds and the television show ER. Going to a Jersey diner for coffee and cheese fries late at night. UD.
Those are some of the things Erin Donnelly loved.
Erin passed away October 22, 2004 after a long battle with a type of muscle Cancer. She was 21.
A student at UD, she was majoring in family studies. Erin was born and raised in Livingston, New Jersey.
To her friends, Erin was almost always good-humored, as long as she wasn’t unleashing her fiery Irish temper, which she occasionally would. She was strong, and was not someone who backed down easily. She was a fighter.
Erin loved playing harmless tricks and was often laughing. She adored her family and loved to share photos and stories.
She was also incredibly unselfish. No matter how sick she was, Erin never wanted to discuss her illness or complain. Conversation always focused on others.
Erin was competitive. Before the Cancer she was a great athlete, with incredible endurance. She played soccer and softball for various Livingston teams throughout her life. Erin was also active in her Catholic Church youth group, and on occasion would give talks to Confirmation candidates about the illness and her life, even though she wasn’t completely comfortable doing so.
Erin loved to eat, and always being thin … this was never a problem for her! Pizza, Italian subs, Chinese food, Ralph’s Italian Ice, Bagels, Ribs and her mother’s cooking were just some of the favorites.
Before chemotherapy, Erin had gorgeous, shiny, stick-straight brown hair (the kind any girl with a wave would kill for). And after that was gone, she traditionally wore a blue bandanna. Even when she was sick, Erin’s child-like freckles and bright smile brought home her youthful beauty.
Erin was diagnosed with Cancer in high school. She went into remission, and then the disease came back. She went into remission again and then entered Delaware in 2002. Erin’s Cancer came back yet again, and being the fighter that she was, she began to enroll in Online courses so she wouldn’t fall behind. She talked of attending school closer to home to make things easier, but unfortunately never got the chance.
Erin loved being at UD and all the friends she made here. She hated missing out on all the fun that went on, and came back for visits when she felt up to it.
Erin seemed to find happiness with children, perhaps because of all the time she spent in the Pediatric Center of St. Barnabas Hospital in New Jersey during treatments. If only she had finished her degree at UD and had had the chance to pursue her dream …
Erin loved life, and she inspired others to enjoy their own lives. She will be missed forever and always.
Educate for a Cure was founded in 2005 to raise money for cancer patients and research, in memory of Erin. It was founded by her friends, but is growing to include all those who wish to fight for this cause.
By Steph Andersen
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