Today, July 28, is our beloved MaryAnne DiCanto’s 60th Birthday.
Each year on this day we made our one and only goal for the year – to get to the next birthday.
There was always a creative cake, like the one last year made out of her favorite donuts. There were always goofy presents to open – last year was campaign attire that outfitted her head-to-toe.
Once the kids and I threw a double surprise party. Knowing she would figure out a surprise was happening, we did a little surprise of a limo to the Mets game and then the big one at a restaurant in the city attended by 70 family and friends.
MaryAnne’s Birthdays were always fun to anticipate and plan. It provided us all with an opportunity to honor her, to thank her, and to express just how much we love and cherish her.
This year is different of course, but only on the outside. Inside, we still love adore, admire, and recall how much you loved us, cared for us, and gave to us.
So, Happy Birthday my darling. Thank you for making me the man I am, the father I should be, and the husband who will love you forever and ever.
About Scott & MaryAnne: MaryAnne was originally diagnosed with Stage 2 B in July 2003 at the age of 46. She was later diagnosed with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer in January 2013. MaryAnne always said that the hardest part about her was the effect of her impending death on husband Scott and her daughter. Scott and their family lost MaryAnne in May 2017. Since then, he has been sharing his love for MaryAnne and the effect her loss has had on him on Facebook. We are honored to share in their life and story in this tribute page, Life Beyond Breast Cancer.
Marcela Shine is Founder of Avanzar Ventures, Business Manager of The Tutu Project and an advisor to the Carey Foundation. Her company, Avanzar Ventures, has been supporting the project by providing operational, social media and technical implementation strategy since the inception of the project.