Volunteers help deliver gifts collected in a past Becky’s Gift drive to the Moores Cancer Center. (courtesy of Becky’s Gift)
Becky’s Gift drive seeks donations
The ninth annual Becky’s Gift project, which seeks to provide toys and other help during the holiday season to families affected by cancer, has begun collecting toys for children age 1-16 years. The goal this year is to collect 1,000 toys.
Anyone interested in donating new, unwrapped toys or gift cards for this year’s effort can drop them off at Scripps Rock Dental, 12112 Scripps Summit Drive, Suite C; or St. Gregory the Great Catholic School, 15315 Stonebridge Parkway. Gift cards can also be donated.
Gifts gathered through the drive will be delivered to UCSD Moores Cancer Center, The Oncology Associates of San Diego, and South County Hematology and Oncology Center.
The gifts play an important role in helping people and families going through cancer treatment celebrate the holidays, according to Becky’s Gift co-organizer Christie Jackson. Jackson saw a close family friend struggle to celebrate the holidays while also spending money on cancer treatment, medicine, dealing with fatigue and worrying about the risk of getting sick while shopping.
“We saw that need. We saw the parents going through treatment, and if they’re strapped, they can’t give their kids the Christmas they think they should have,” Jackson said. “My friend wanted her kids to go on with a normal life, but that was hard because you don’t want to get sick and you’re too tired. That’s how it all came about.”
Jackson, along with friend and co-organizer Becky Walton, put the word out to friends the first year and gathered 200 toys in a week. Encouraged by that success, Walton, Jackson and their supporters have kept the effort going for nine years.
Thank you notes demonstrate the impact the gift drive has for its recipients.
“Becky’s Gift is truly a blessing at a time when cancer has taken over our family’s life,” said one patient who wished to remain anonymous.
“Going through cancer, the focus has been all on me. It’s nice that Becky’s Gift is available to be able to give my kids a toy,” said another.
Jackson pointed out that Becky’s Gift sometimes comes up short on donations for older kids, so keeping children age 14-16 in mind is appreciated.
In addition to dropping off gifts at the locations mentioned earlier, anyone interested in donating or helping can contact Becky Walton at beckywalton@san.rr.com, Christie Jackson at christie@jacksonlane.com or visit facebook.com/BeckysGift.