Inspiring Teen Distributes 9,000 Books to Sick Children After Dad's Cancer

An inspiring teen from Maryland has turned her love for books into a way to help thousands of sick children find comfort and solace in reading. She has collected over 9,000 new books to distribute in various hospitals where kids are confined for treatments.

Emily Bhatnagar, 18, understands so well how books can be comforting during periods of anxiety and sadness. It was books that appeased her when she learned that her father had Stage 4 thyroid cancer in 2019.

In an interview with CBS News, Bhatnagar said that dealing with her father's diagnosis was "the worst" because she had nightmares and panic attacks. In the beginning, she helped her mother tend to her father, who had to be nourished via a feeding tube.

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Taking Her Dad's Illness So Hard

However, Bhatnagar took her father's illness hard because she developed an eating disorder and was hospitalized as her health deteriorated. She recalled feeling like she was on the brink of death and had to quit school because she was not physically and mentally well.

Speaking with The Washington Post, Bhatnagar said books always cheered her up whenever she felt down. As a young child of immigrant parents, books became her friends because she didn't feel she belonged in American cliques.

Bhatnagar realized that she should channel her anxiety into a good cause during the pandemic. She thought that other kids facing challenges might also find solace in books, just like she did.

When her dad's cancer stabilized, Bhatnagar, turned her attention to her cause and opened the "For Love and Buttercup" book drive on social media. She told CBS News that she posted requests for new book donations for sick children and thought she would get two to three responses. She got a hundred replies right away.

Neighbors in her Maryland community also found out about her book drive and started sending boxes of books to their house. Bhatnagar also set up an Amazon Wish List to collect more donations. Among some of the requests are "Harry Potter" paperbacks, the "Chronicles of Narnia" classics, "Berenstein Bears" stories, "Captain Underpants" book series, and books by Judy Blume or Theodore Blume.

Her original plan was to give the books to the kids at the pediatric cancer ward at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, where her father had his treatments. But since she has collected 9,000 books, Bhatnagar is also distributing to other healthcare facilities within Maryland that cater to children.

Dad Helps Deliver the Books

In October 2021, Bhatnagar's dad successfully recovered from an emergency procedure and drove her to the hospitals to deliver the books. The family decided to rent a U-Haul to bring books by the hundreds and cover more ground.

Bhatnagar also adds a special touch to the books she gives to kids. She makes bookmarks from jean scraps and tells them that her father is cancer-free, so they must also stay strong and hope for the best in their treatments. Bhatnagar writes inspiring stories for little kids that encourage young patients to get better.

Her goal is to collect 10,000 books. She said that she's grateful for every book donation from the public.

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