By Mike Renzella
The Haldimand Press
HAGERSVILLE — After a difficult prognosis and a challenging, 287-day journey to remission, Hagersvile resident Shawn Donato found himself longing for a way to reconnect with the world and spread a little positivity to others on the way.
Donato, 42, has been dealt more than one tough hand in his life. Following his father’s tragic death in 2009, he found himself in a downward spiral, moving to Calgary and starting a relationship that would end in separation, leading him to return home in 2019. Just two months after he got back, he noticed something with his health was off.
“I was at work and had started bringing up blood. I asked for the following day off,” explained Donato. “I began bleeding from everywhere, so I went to the hospital, and within 15 minutes I was rushed to Juravinski hospital.”
Following a series of bone marrow work and treatments, Donato was diagnosed with APL Leukemia, a rare type of blood cancer.
Following a two-month long hospital stay that included a blood clot surgery and a minor heart attack, Donato got some amazing news.
“My cancer had gone into remission,” he said, noting treatment is ongoing as an outpatient.
“I can remember the day so clearly that it was over! My nurses sang me a song and I rang the bell,” said Donato on the day his remission was announced.
He said the team at Juravinski made the process as painless as possible for him, expressing gratitude to the staff and donors who kept him there. He added, “I also want to make a very important point that I understand that a lot of other people have had it a lot harder than myself, and I give all my prayers to them!”
Donato said that the treatment process took a heavy toll on his body and he gained over 60lbs during his hospital stay, which contributed to his depression.
“I needed to find a way out of this,” he said.
His desire to overcome depression inspired Donato to start a YouTube channel where he could spread positivity and make videos focused on his adventurous passions in life, including camping, bushcraft, fishing, magnet fishing, and metal detecting, all while showing off “the beauty of our province and great lakes.”
In addition to the videos, he is focusing on improving his overall wellness through conscious healthy eating and exercise.
Donato is a proud supporter of Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, “donating whenever I can,” and encouraging others to do the same.
Donato’s YouTube channel, first established in February of this year, already has an impressive 75 videos and over 70,000 views. His most recent video, a 14-minute-long documentary about a recent three-day solo bush crafting trip, reveals Donato’s amiable, humble, and entertaining persona. In the video, he chronicles his experience and shares tips on how to rough it in the woods with minimal supplies.
Donato thanked his friends and family for their positivity and help throughout his journey, and urged people to check out his work, found under the channel name ‘Erie Treasure’ on YouTube.
“The overall goal here is to do good for the world,” summed up Donato. “The universe can be very rewarding. To anyone else out there going through struggles just remember: keep pushing, stay positive, and never give up. Good things can happen.”
Donato is currently looking for sponsors who might be interested in taking part in his series of videos. If interested, he can be reached by email at explore.erietreasure@gmail.com. To donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, visit bloodcancers.ca.
