(PHOTOS BY JENNA FRISBY / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
TOY DRIVE … Cherish Brown has started Daphne’s Toy Drive. A toy drive donating toys to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan where her daughter spent much of her time after her terminal diagnosis of DIPG.
By: Jenna Frisby
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jenna@thevillagereporter.com
Cherish Brown has started a toy drive in honor of her daughter Daphne. Saturday, July 27th Brown held Daphne’s Toy Drive at the Walz Park pavilion in Edon from 1:00pm-5:00pm.
The idea of starting the toy drive came to Brown as she thought of what she could do in her daughter’s memory and what Daphne would be most happy with.
Daphne was born on July 27th, 2011. She was a loving child who held a generous heart and a kindhearted spirit. She loved helping others and finding ways to brighten other’s days. She also loved playing softball.
In fact, her 8U softball team coached by Gary and Morgan Hamrick won their championship game in the summer of 2019 on Field 4 in Walz Park. It was only a short time after that win that Daphne was diagnosed with DIPG on September 11th in 2019.
DIPG stands for Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma which is an aggressive tumor of the brainstem. The diagnosis of DIPG is a terminal one and life expectancy after diagnosis is only a short 9 to 12 months.
After Daphne’s initial diagnosis she and her mom went up to C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital (Motts) in Ann Arbor, Michigan in order to start Daphne on a 6-week radiation treatment.
It was at Motts where the two lived for 6 weeks in the Ronald McDonald House there. It was a much-needed home away from home which Brown was thankful for.
While inevitably Daphne was in and out of Motts, it never failed that after one of her visits or treatments that she always got to pick out a toy from the toy chest.
Something that Brown was so appreciative of as it always put a smile back on Daphne’s face, even in the toughest of times. After a long battle with DIPG, Daphne passed away on August 6th, 2020 at the age of 9 years old.
After Daphne’s passing her coaches decided to donate an engraved bench in memory of her at Walz Park. That bench sits facing Field 4 where Daphne and her team won that championship game back in 2019 before her terminal diagnosis.
The struggle for Brown and her family unfortunately did not stop there. Six months after Daphne’s passing her son and Daphne’s only sibling was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.
Since that time, he has had to have his left kidney removed and has been placed on a transplant list. Though at this time he doesn’t have to be on dialysis, his right kidney is only at 27% function and once it gets to the lower 20’s he will need that transplant even more any may have to be on dialysis until he can receive one.
In the midst of Brown and her family’s multiple unfortunate situations and circumstances, she still strives to make hope for someone else and be the light to those who have none.
Daphne’s Toy Drive is doing just that in collecting new toys to give out to so many other children who have to live a life of being in and out of the hospital.
While the toy drive this year has brought an incredible turnout of a plethora number of gifts, Brown plans to continue the toy drive annually and invites people to continue to donate to Daphne’s Toy Drive. Toys can be mailed to Daphne’s Toy Drive at 3719 US HWY 20 Edon, Ohio 43518.
The toy drive this year was held on what would have been Daphne’s 13th birthday. A special day for a special girl whose life is still making a difference for others. Happy Birthday Daphne!