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Spotlights » Brenda and Brendan Brosnan, '89
Non-Profit Co-Founded by GVSU Alumni Couple Donates $50,000 to Children's Hospital of Michigan
Brenda (Rogers) Brosnan, BBA in Finance, '89, and Brendan Brosnan, BS in Criminal Justice, '89, met while students at GVSU in the late 1980's. Both were members of the Laker Cheerleading squad and shared a love of hockey. The couple helped start the GVSU Laker Hockey Club as students, the first of two organizations they would eventually co-found.
After graduation, the couple married, and on October 25, 1999, they gave birth to twin sons, Chase and Dylan. They were healthy, happy babies until the age of 18 months.
It was at this time the Brosnans began to notice significant changes in Chase's motor functions. "He started walking off balance, falling down, and losing control of his motor skills," explains Brenda. "He went from a coordinated toddler to a child who couldn't walk, talk, or even sit up by himself. He would cry non-stop."
Chase was repeatedly diagnosed with an inner ear infection and vertigo. But the couple was certain there was something more.
Due to his parents' perseverance, Chase was eventually taken to Children's Hospital of Michigan and correctly diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a rare cancer of the sympathetic nervous system -- a nerve network that carries messages from the brain throughout the body, and OMS (Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome), an even rarer autoimmune neurological disorder in which the body attacks its own healthy cells.
"Treating Chase aggressively was our only hope for remission of the cancer and for neurological remission from the OMS, which can leave a child permanently brain damaged if it is not treated aggressively and quickly," says Brenda. Chase's tumor was surgically removed, and he underwent chemotherapy to treat the cancer. He then began daily steroid injections and regular intravenous treatments for the OMS.
All together, the Brosnan family fought for six long years, and are happy that today Chase is medicine free, cancer free and OMS free.
As a result of the long battle and the struggles they faced during Chase's treatment, in 2005 the couple co-founded The Chase Away Foundation, a non-profit organization in Rochester Hills, Michigan with the mission of helping brighten the time a child spends in treatment for cancer and OMS. The foundation is 100 percent volunteer operated.
Brenda, a senior partner at Golden Mortgage in Bloomfield Hills serves as president of the foundation. Brendan, a police officer, range master, sniper and member of the Warren Police Departments SWAT team, is the foundations vice president.
"We were blessed and extremely fortunate to have excellent medical coverage and the means to provide Chase with toys and other items to distract him during his many long hours, months, and years in treatment," says Brenda. "Our hope is to be able to help make a positive impact on the children and families of those suffering from pediatric cancer and OMS who aren't as fortunate."
On December 8, 2008, The Chase Away Foundation and foundation advisory board member Mike Babcock, head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, made a donation of $50,000 to the Children's Hospital of Michigan. The donation, given to help renovate the hospital's oncology floor and which will be named The Chase Away Treatment Room, is the largest donation the non-profit has made to date.
"This is a huge milestone for Chase Away," continues Brenda. "This is just one step we have been able to take because of those who have helped the foundation. We are so thankful to the hospital, our board, our advisory members, like Mike Babcock and everyone who has supported our efforts to help these needy children."
Please visit www.chaseaway.org to learn more.
Added January 2009
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