Birthday girl presents gifts to Emma's Touch

PRINCETON — September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness month, and that fact hit close to home for one young lady with a beautiful mind and a big heart.

Molly Dempsey recently celebrated her 15th birthday, and instead of thinking of herself, she thought of others. Specifically, she thought of children fighting the good fight against cancer.

Molly’s parents, Nolan and Stephanie, are the proprietors of the Brainy Boston Book Exchange on Mercer Street in Princeton. Molly spends a lot of time at the shop helping out and engaging in some of her favorite pastimes — reading books and writing songs. “Initially, we were looking at larger organizations, such as Saint Jude’s, but in the end, we decided to go local,” Stephanie said.

When Molly decided to search for a local organization to lend a hand to, she and her mom reached out to others on Facebook for advice. The response was pretty unanimous. Friends recommended a local charity called Emma’s Touch.

Emma’s Touch was founded by Charles and Karen Vannatter a few years ago, after their 28-month-old daughter, Emma, lost her battle with leukemia. The Vannatters drew from this very trying time and felt Emma’s legacy would allow them to help families in a similar position.

They wanted to reach out and provide the little things people tend to leave behind when traveling out of town for their child’s treatment.

“People go to hospitals away from home and forget to take basic necessities like toothpaste, toothbrushes, blankets, and other items that may be required for an extended stay and Emma’s Touch is here to fill that void,” Karen Vannatter said.

Emma’s Touch donations help assemble tote bags with items needed for families that are staying with their children during treatment. Emma’s Touch also provides assistance if a vehicle needs repair so parents can make the commute to hospitals safely. Karen highlighted an instance when the foundation was able to pay for a much-needed brake repair for a family in need.

“The strain is not only emotional, but financial as well,” she said.

One other item the organization provides is a $100 gift card, or “Hero Card,” as a job-well-done gesture for kids who have completed treatment.

Once she had researched Emma’s Touch, Molly told her mother this was the one for her. With an upcoming birthday, Molly decided to donate any monetary gifts to Emma’s touch. Her mom made a deal with her.

“I told her she could work the store on her birthday to raise additional money, and at the end of the day, she had collected $200 for her efforts,” Stephanie said.

After the final tally, Stephanie made a call to Karen, and a meeting was arranged. This past Monday, Molly officially made the donation, amid a relaxed air of joy and friendship.

Molly was doing the typical teen thing by juggling electronic devices, including an I-pod, game device, and of course, a smart phone.

After spending a few minutes talking to the three of them, I understood the motivation behind how and why they got there. They involved a loved one battling a disease, the loss of a child, and the desire to be a better person.

I asked Molly why she decided to do this, and she put it in a nutshell.

“I want to be involved in making the world a better place,” she said with a shy grin. Stephanie’s reaction was easy to gauge, I could see the loving pride in this mother’s eyes and words would be non-plus in this particular situation.

“I find it touching to see a young person thinking of others instead of themselves,” Karen added.

I understood that all too well thinking back upon all of the distractions and the “me” mentality of my teen years. It was truly uplifting to see a young lady like Molly who strives to be the exception rather than the rule. Mind you, kids are kids and in general, they are good people, but kids such as Molly tend to remind us of that inherent goodness that can rise to the surface.

Before we parted ways, Molly presented a check to Karen and hugs were exchanged as well. Karen did manage to remind me of the need for blood donors. Cancer patients are one of the largest demographics in need of blood and in September, Emma’s touch will be sponsoring two drives to meet the needs of those in treatment. Additionally, Emma’s Touch will have a booth at Autumnfest next month and she encouraged folks to stop by and say hello. Information on all of the foundation’s activities can be found at their website, www.emmastouch. org.

Molly of course, can be found at the Brainy Boston reading, writing songs in her journal, and thinking of other ways to make the world around her a better place. I know you do not feel like you have done anything exceptional or deserve any thanks Molly, but thank you anyway for being the great person you are and inspiring me as a person and a writer.

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Birthday girl presents gifts to Emma's Touch

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