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| "Donna Capturing the Scene" Oil on Canvas. 30" x 24" |
Donna was born in 1960 and grew up in South Dakota. Donna has had problems with coordination her whole life but, she was not diagnosed with NF until adulthood. Her mother, Patricia, had been diagnosed with what was then called Von Recklinhausen’s Disease as an adult as well, after she had a large tumor removed from her arm and the pathology report came back. The rural doctor did not know much about it, He also said any of her children who had light tan birthmarks “might get a lump or two some day,” but that is was only a cosmetic concern and nothing to worry about. Her mother, Patricia died of kidney cancer at age 49, in 1985, but doctors at that time did not seem to think it had anything to do with her earlier diagnoses. (Later it was determined that it probably did.)
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| Prep Sketch |
Donna had the CALS since early childhood and started getting a few lumps as a teenager. but she still could not get a proper diagnosis until she was 41 when a doctor sent her to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. During that visit, doctors discovered bilateral pheochromocytomas (tumors on both adrenal glands) Pheos are uncommon, but more common in people with NF. They can cause a lot of serious health issues if not found. She had successful surgery for the adrenal tumors 19 years ago. She will be 60 this year, and has had a steady increase in tumors over the years, but still has a fairly mild case, She has two grown children who did not inherit NF. Although she did not attend college, she has had a long-time photography hobby, and enjoyed writing. She started working as a reporter-photographer at her small town newspaper at age 50 and eventually became editor. In her spare time, Donna likes photographing the wildlife in her area.
