Renee Jenkins Obituary, Death – “Go home and love your family if you want to change the world,” Mother Teresa advised. I’ve learnt to trust myself and seek deep inside to be the change because of my mother’s unwavering love for us. When I think back on her life, I am often reminded of my own and how much she has influenced it. Delana “Renee” Jenkins, who passed away at the young age of 62 on February 20, 2023, was born on July 7, 1960, and battled stage 4 breast cancer for 6.5 years. Up to the last few months of her life, she bravely underwent chemo every 3 weeks, going from scan to scan and test to test.
Along the way, she battled through several painful setbacks, including a 7-day coma two years ago. I had had enough. She was worn out. She put up a good fight, but in the end, she prevailed. Fighting cancer requires a remarkable amount of courage, and she displayed such grace and kindness in the process. She became fixated on all things pink in the early stages of breast cancer and vulnerably decked out the garden with pink ribbons, boxing gloves and even pink pumpkins. She set out to motivate everyone in the neighbourhood, and she succeeded. She was well aware of her love, and boy did she love in return. Even if her love was occasionally severe, it was always constant and abundant. She was a strong, independent woman,
It finally makes sense why I’ve been called for so long to use the love and strength Mom instilled in me to empower others. Edward and Bobbie Jean Rhodes, my mother’s parents, predeceased her. She spent 23 years happily married to my step-dad, Robert Jenkins, for a total of 17 years. Mom loved him with the greatest sincerity. She was right, as did their dog, Bailey, who spent most days cuddled up between her knees and was one of the first things she said to me over the holidays after a few weeks in the hospital: “Robert must miss me.” She cherished the people in her life, including her family, friends, neighbours, carers, previous pupils, patients, and numerous others.
become a regular part of her life. As for my mother and I, her only child and daughter (Brooke, a.k.a. “Boo”), we experienced ups and downs as we grew up, but our bond eventually developed into a wonderful, unique one that I will always treasure and will never be able to replicate. It was an amazing honour to fight for and beside her since she always put up a fight for me. My mother instilled in me the value of looking out for others and the notion that turning up is more important than how you show up. Oh, how she adored sticky notes, her grande Starbucks, the beach, a cute bikini, and a cool beer. I get that she was guarding, fiercely independent, and occasionally difficult. She always wore lipstick and had her nails done.