Southern Boone middle schooler donates 'Teen Carts' to MU Children's Hospital

Margo Brown, 13, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in April. She began treatment at the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center at MU Health Care, where kids got to visit the “prize box” after completing rounds of chemotherapy or other intense treatments and long-term care.

The box was chock-full of toys, games, accessories and other donations for patients, but mainly geared toward younger kids.

“When people think of pediatrics, they think kids,” Margo said. “But there’s also teenagers and young adults.”

She first noticed the need when a trip to the prize box landed her a scrunchie and a pair of socks, some of the only things the child life team had on hand that would appeal to a teenage girl.

“I was like, ‘Margo doesn’t have hair right now,” said Amanda Brown, Margo’s mom, with a laugh.

“That’s when the idea popped into my head,” Margo said. “What if there was a prize box specifically geared towards teens?”

Margo, her mother and the child life team members in the room then began throwing out ideas of what items would work well and appeal to other teenage patients.

Later that week, Margo and her mom put together an Amazon wishlist with hundreds of games, books, accessories and other items all geared toward teens. The majority of items had been handpicked by Margo and her sister, Liliana, 16.

Margo and her family put together and decorated the carts, tightly packed with games, books, accessories and other items.

Amanda Brown, a graphic designer and high school design teacher, created stickers and a small note to give to teens when they take something from the cart.

On the sticker, a red dragon, a symbol of protection in Chinese culture, weaves in and out of Margo’s gold, bold-lettered name, and the bottom reads, “Stay strong."

“Whatever you are going through, remember that you are stronger than you think — just like a dragon,” Margo wrote on the note to be passed out with items from the carts.

“I think a lot of times, high schoolers quite don’t get this celebration that they deserve because they’re scary,” Brown said. “They’re in this interesting place where they’re a kid, but not quite an adult, and I think people get intimidated by that phase.”

“But they still need love and support from our community,” she added. “We’re just hoping that we can just show teenagers that they’re still loved, and people still think about them and pray about them.”

Margo and her mom are grateful for the support from the local SkillsUSA chapter, Veterans United, Forum Christian Church and Jennifer and John Wampler of Lizzy’s Walk of Faith for donations.

Brown also thanked the Southern Boone Middle School community for their support, including seventh grade counselor Sarah Williams for her help keeping Margo caught up on school work.

“We love our (MU) Children’s Hospital experience,” Brown said. “We couldn’t imagine having a better care team.”

“They’re amazing,” Margo agreed.

Link, the facility dog for Children’s Hospital, came downstairs to greet Margo and her donations alongside Katie Ellis, a child life team member. Brown said Ellis always checks in on and visits with the kids, and Margo loves to see her and Link.

Margo entered remission in August, but she still has about two years remaining of treatment. She began her next hospital stay on Tuesday to continue treatment.

“I know I’m biased because this one is mine, but I have never seen, in a 13-year-old, the level of empathy that Margo has for others,” said Joe Brown, Margo’s father, a teacher at the Boone County Nature School.

“It is definitely a testament to her faith and her hope and her joy and who she is that she can, in incredibly difficult personal circumstances, at the same time, bless other people. We watch her do it every single day, and we are very proud of her,” he said.

“I hope something from this cart brings you joy,” Margo wrote on the note.

“You got this and STAY STRONG.”