Shyanna Jones has a fairly simple Christmas list. She doesn't want anything for herself, but wants to provide Christmas baskets for children who will spend Christmas in Arkansas Children's Hospital.
Shyanna, 7, the youngest of the three daughters of Kerri and Richard Jones, remembers spending many days and nights in the hospital when she was 3 years old battling cancer.
The Jones family moved to Pea Ridge a year ago to be closer to family and to the Children's Hospital. Kerri is the secretary at Pea Ridge High School. Their daughters are Payton, 13, Braylee, 11, and Shyanna, 7.
"We told them that since we're taking a vacation for Christmas, they could select one gift. They were to think long and hard about what they wanted," Kerri said, explaining that the family is traveling to Arizona to see grandparents for the holidays. "She (Shyanna) came to me a couple of weeks ago, and said 'I've thought and I want to give all the cancer kids who can't leave the hospital a Christmas gift.'
"That's a big thing for her," Kerri said.
"We had been praying for a way to give back ever since her diagnosis. This is answered prayer and we're moving forward with it," she said.
Kerri contacted Children's Hospital about it and said there are 25 rooms so she wants to prepare 30 baskets to be prepared for each family who comes in Christmas Eve through Christmas Day.
"We're wanting to make a family basket," she said.
Both Kerri and Shyanna remembered from her stay in the hospital, which was during the covid lock down, that they were "stuck there" and that prompted them to consider what might bring comfort or joy to people in the hospital now.
Items they're seeking include toys for a children, blankets, water bottles or tumblers, warm Christmas socks, books, coloring books, even adult coloring books, journals, colored pencils, Play Doh, games and gift cards. She said the hospital restricts the value of gift cards that may be given to $15. All items must be new.
"We're rocking and rolling, we've got one basket given to us, a lady from work brought it. We've gotten a few donations," she said.
People who are interested in donating may call Kerri at 580-258-8203 or email her at [email protected].
"We've had people send small donations through Venmo," she said. "We're putting it into a savings account specifically for this. We're hoping to start this weekend."
"When she was 3, she was diagnosed with HLH -- it's a rare disease," Kerri said, explaining that only one in 200,000 people have it and it's only been studied for 10 years. "It's kind of like a blood cancer; it's treated a lot like leukemia."
They were sent to Children's Hospital in Oklahoma City, and didn't leave. She started chemotherapy within a week. She was in and out of the hospital for a year.
"We know what it's like to be the family who has to separate -- that was right when covid hit," Kerri said.
"It's all a blur," Kerri said of that year. "I remember feeling very numb not knowing whether my child would live," Kerri said.
We are trying to get everything together by Dec. 10.
Graphic submitted
Shyanna Jones, 7, survived cancer and wants to give to others in hospital for Christmas.
Annette Beard/Pea Ridge TIMES
Shyanna Jones, 7, survived cancer and wants to give to others in hospital for Christmas.