DETROIT – When Risonna Perkins saw her book, “Meet the Buzzbees” for the first time, she was overcome with emotion.
“I don’t have any children, but I imagine it’s like a mother seeing her child for the first time,” said Perkins.
It was truly a labor of love for this native Detroiter.
The “Buzzbees” are a musical family of royal bees that live on Bumble Bee Lane, a fictional street on the real-life Belle Isle.
Each cheerful bee represents a loved one Perkins has lost.
“My mother, my grandmother, and my aunt have all passed away from cancer,” said Perkins. “And I was really going through a difficult time last year and I really didn’t have the, I would say, the support that you normally could get from your mom, or your grandmother, or your aunt when you’re making a big change. And I thought about how other people may be going through the same thing.”
When Perkins read that bee venom was being studied as a potential cancer treatment, an idea was born.
A chance meeting with illustrator Susie Hartings at the Detroit Public Library brought the “Buzzbees” to life.
The book is filled with happy characters and facts about bees, and includes a “Detroit’s Busy Bee Guide to the City” listing “Attractions That’ll Keep You Buzzing” and “Best Food in the ‘D’ For a Bee.”
Most important to Perkins, there is also a list of local cancer resources.
“When you’re already dealing with cancer, it’s like your brain is just fine-tuned on your loved one,” explained Perkins. “So I wanted to make sure that I could put these resources somewhere where people could find them and make them common knowledge.”
Perkins knows just how her mom would react to the book.
“My mother would just fall out. She would just fall out and say, ‘Oh my gosh.’ But she believed in me from day one. The best thing my mother ever gave me was a book,” said Perkins.
Perkins plans to donate a portion of the proceeds from each book to the Karmanos Cancer Institute and Detroit Hives, a bee preservation organization.
The book’s dedication is a tribute to Perkins’ hope for the future -- “To all of the scientists and researchers who dedicate their lives to finding a cure for cancer. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day it will bee.”
“Meet the Buzzbees” is available at www.meetthebuzzbees.com and several online retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and Barnes and Noble.
You can also follow their journey on social media.
- Instagram: meetthebuzzbees
- TikTok: meet.the.buzzbees
- YouTube: meetthebuzzbees