Known to some online as her half-Vulcan counterpart "T`Mana", Brenda was diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes in July 2002 – and sent away from the doctor's office with nothing more than two conflicting diet sheets, a warning that she'd never be able to chart a way between the two of them, and a couple of prescriptions – both of which had intolerable side effects.

Given this challenge, a degree in engineering, and years of professional online searching and indexing experience, Brenda put her training to work to find a way between the low-sodium and diabetic diet sheets and away from the unknown long-term side effects of maintenance drugs. Her diabetes was diet-controlled from January 2004 through July 2012; she is now back on metformin and still trying to keep her A1c under 6.0

Brenda's first experience with an online diabetes community was a mailing list for members of STARFLEET: The International STAR TREK Fan Association, an organization with which she has been active since 1985. In addition to TREK fandom, Brenda enjoys historical costuming (mostly 16th-Century Elizabethan) and hanging out at Renaissance Faires and Highland Games.

Brenda's real-life diabetes circle includes her boyfriend, several members his family (all Type 2), other members of Team Red - Skylands, and a number of local members of the Diabetes Online Community. Her diabetes role models (both deceased) are her childhood orthopedist and her stepmother's father.