Media

A local child is being remembered through a recently unveiled memorial at East End Children’s Centre. At three-and-a-half years old, Stella Bruner-Methven died in October of a brain tumour. Throughout her short life, she spent lots of time at East End Children’s Centre, even celebrating her first birthday there.

Catherine Porter-- who has written a number of stories about Mishi, Aimee, and Stella for the Toronto Star-- followed the Bruner-Methven family throughout Stella's illness. She has published an eBook about this incredible family, available at the Star Dispatches.

Hundreds gathered at Toronto's Riverdale Park on Saturday to celebrate the life of 3-year-old Stella Joy Bruner-Methven. She was killed by a tumour in her brain stem called DIPG — Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma.

Next Sunday I will also need to light one more candle. This one, I know, will singe my heart. I will light a candle for Stella, the 3-year-old daughter of friends, who died on Monday from an inoperable brain stem tumor. Stella Joy, much like Esker, was all red hair and spirit. Before her tumor, she loved biting others more than that squirrel, I think.

I've written a couple of times before about a little girl named Stella Joy Bruner-Methven, and I wanted to post more about her now because she had such an impact on the lives of so many people, myself included, that I want her story included on my blog for my children to read someday. I want them to know that this story was a big part of why I became the mom that I am becoming. I believe that witnessing Stella's story through the eloquent words of her two moms on their blog has forever changed the way I will live my life, and more importantly, the way I will parent.