Luis Barguez of Parrish said his mom, Braden Woods' Vivian Quinones-Solano, spends most of her time trying to bring joy to others.
If they find that joy, it ultimately brings joy to Quinones-Solano. He tells his friends, it's what makes her special.
After she was diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma on May 11, 2020, the joy appeared ready to run out.
"I had something that looked like a small pimple in my earlobe," Quinones-Solano said. "I had gone to a dermatologist. I had a very aggressive form of skin cancer. The survival rate was 18 to 25 months."
Although Quinones-Solano, the vice president of community relations for SunCoast Blood Bank in Lakewood Ranch, said she would fight to the end of life, she also was prepared for the worst.