Sara Anderson, a senior at Southwest Baptist University in Salem, will once again share the spirit of Christmas with children in St. Louis.
“We have gone from people giving small money donations to now people in other towns, and even other states, shipping me things they have bought to be put into the baskets. We have a lot of community support, whether that be through money or donations of gifts and also helping spread the word,” said Anderson.
Anderson knows firsthand what Christmas in a hospital feels like. She was diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoma at age 11, in 2006. She was treated at Children’s Hospital in St. Louis.
“In 2012, I had chemo the week before Christmas and was there until around Dec. 22, and they tried to make it feel just like a normal Christmas, but it sucked. I was at a hospital, I was still getting chemo and I was still throwing up everything I ate. I know that at least once a week someone would drop a present or bag of gifts off and that always took my mind off the idea of being stuck in the hospital,” remembered Anderson in a past interview with The Salem News.
Baskets are headed to St. Louis Children’s Hospital, as well as Cardinal Glennon Hospital. Approximately 30 baskets will be delivered on Dec. 22. Anderson gave credit to her pastor and his wife, Rocky and Denise Lindley; and youth pastor and his wife, Matthew and Jessica Parker, all of Oak Grove Baptist Church, for delivering the baskets. The youth group assists in preparing the baskets for delivery.
“There are so many people who have helped make this possible. My home church, Oak Grove, took up a special offering to help. I put up a list of what I needed on Facebook just thinking some family would help, and I got friends from St. Louis to help and other states as well,” said Anderson.
Beanie Brigade donated beanie hats for the baskets. In addition, Camp Rainbow, where Anderson attended both as a camper, a counselor, and now an ambassador, donated drawstring bags.
“These kids don't deserve to have to spend their Christmases in the hospital but they have to… they don't get this choice,” said Anderson.