In Celebration of Brenna, Ribbons Are Coming Down

The display of blue ribbons these past few months was a for a young girl who was battling a fast growing cancer called Burkitt’s Lymphoma.

She won .

Today's removal of those ribbons signifies the beginning of what Kerry Quirin calls "the new normal" for her daughter, Brenna, and the entire Quirin family.

Word of Brenna's diagnosis spread through Downers Grove in late April and early May. Almost instantly, trees all around town were decorated with blue ribbons because blue is Brenna’s favorite color. The “Fight Brenna Fight” movement rallied around a small girl who had a big battle ahead of her. Cards and wishes and prayers were streaming in to the Quirins from friends, family and strangers. Adults and children were putting blue streaks in their hair to support Brenna. There were lemonade stands, bracelet sales, T-shirts, blankets and countless other forms of financial and moral encouragement.

In the ensuing months, Brenna’s fight against this cancer wasn’t easy or pretty, but it was successful.

And, now, Brenna's mother Kerry says, it is time to celebrate.

"Starting at 10 a.m., we're looking for people to start taking their blue ribbons down" she told Patch in an email. "We're going to walk around the neighborhood and cut them down. It's the sign of a new beginning for us. A new normal.

"We ask that although the ribbons are down, to not forget to keep Brenna in your prayers and all kids with pediatric cancers," she concluded.

The starting location is 68th and Barrett streets.