Vivian Douglass – (1937 – 1999)

She was the greatest woman who ever lived. When she smiled, the world seemed so much brighter. If you weren’t feeling good she could make you feel better just by walking into your room, sitting on the side of your bed and speaking a loving word. She did everything she could to make your day better. She didn’t hold anger either. Miles down the road you could smell the love coming from her kitchen. If she had it and you needed it, it became yours. Laughter was something she loved to hear and be involved in. She was serious when it came to her relationship with Jesus Christ. Playing in church or with the Bible was not an option in her home. Speaking your mind and opinion with reverence to her was allowed, but she did not tolerate disrespect. She would wash your back if you asked, cook your favorite meal if you asked and she went the last mile for her children. Nothing was too much for her children. Even when she was diagnosed with the dreadful disease that took her life, she protected her children from the pain that she was feeling. She shared what was happening to her body so that they would be informed and educated for themselves. She had one husband and treated him like a king.

She was the brightest, most pleasant parent at PTA. She really meant that any one of her children could call her anytime of the day or night. As night closed in on her life she still represented a child of the King.  She maintained her dignity, her kind heart, her loving spirit and her smile. I know all of these things about her because I am one of her children. God’s greatest blessing to me was giving me her as a mother.

She was born on June 9, 1937 and her name was Vivian Douglass. She departed with life on November 23, 1999.

My sisters and I along with friends have sponsored and produce several events and designed the smile for life pin that was inspired by our mothers demand that everyone keep a smile on their face no matter how hard times may get. And that is just what she did. I thank her for passing that beautiful peace of life on to us and we hope to pass it on to the rest of the world.

She individually touched the hearts of each of these women and many more people alike. She practiced what God taught that was love.

Mary Elizabeth Clemons  – (1946 – 2000) 

The Clemons home was were you could always count on a hot meal and good conversation. All the neighborhood kids hung out at the Clemons house. If you needed a place to stay, her door was always open. She was known to just about everyone as “Auntie Mary.”

Mary was a homemaker for most of her married adult life. Caring for her husband and children was a full-time job. Mary had never worked outside of the home and thought she had no real skills to offer in the employment world. It was a longtime family friend who convinced her to use her natural mother’s wit to care for Special Needs Children through the County of Alameda, Foster Care Program.

After successfully completing all the required classes, Auntie Mary and Uncle Bob began caring for At-Risk Children through the County of Alameda. Many of the children she cared for were infants that had been born drug dependant or were temporary Wards of the Court.

Mary was thrilled at the idea of having a real job. She was almost too excited to cash the first check she had ever earned in life. It was cause to celebrate. For several years, we all got attached to many of the children that came through the Clemons home through the Foster Care Program.
In 2000, Mary succumbed to Breast Cancer. I was there by her side when she whispered her last words to me and then peaceful closed her eyes and passed away. It rendered me helpless. For the first time in my life, there was absolutely no words that could express the pain and agony I was feeling as I watched her slip away.Tragically that would all soon end. In 1998, Mary was diagnosed with an advanced stage of Breast Cancer. Because she had not received regular annual mammograms, the cancer went undetected and as a result, her condition was terminal. Although the hospital did try an aggressive form of chemotherapy, due to her size, and limited available treatments the cancer was considered inoperable. During this lenthly ordeal, Uncle Bob died suddenly of a massive heart attack.

One of the doctors who performed her final examination said “It was not simply Breast Cancer that caused her death but also obesity.” My emotions went from sadness to rage. Not truly understanding that perhaps a routine examination and an annual mammogram were not the only things that were important factors to consider.

Mary’s weight made it very uncomfortable and almost impossible for her to get a mammogram. She had struggled with her weight practically all her life and especially after the birth of her children. Medical Research had not developed the technology that is currently in place today; to accommodate women of large stature.

It is with a sense of compassion and through research and education that we will develop the means to treat all patients and eventually find a cure. Mary Clemons is just one example of why every women should “take it personal.”