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Thursday, July 17, Jennifer Mynear will return to KASA’s 39th annual conference to share her son Jarrett’s story of the Joy Cart, which rolls in hospitals across the nation. As part of the general session and exhibit hall, attendees will learn firsthand of this young leader’s approach to achieving exponential results.
Jarrett, a former Jessamine County Middle School student, was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma at the age of 2. His right leg was amputated before he was 3. He was rediagnosed with Ewing’s five times and once with myelodisplasia, a pre-leukemia blood disorder.
In 1998, during a 38-day recovery from a bone marrow transplant, Jarrett realized many patients at UK Children’s Hospital had few visitors and were not hopeful about the future. Jarrett implemented the Joy Cart, a program on wheels that spreads joy and hope to children struggling with life threatening illnesses.
When news of the program reached the talk show circuit, Jarrett appeared numerous times on The Rosie O’Donnell and Oprah Winfrey shows. He also won many awards and became a much sought after speaker, providing inspiration to other cancer patients.
While Jarrett is no longer living, his spirit lives on through the Joy Carts that are still in operation in Lexington, Louisville, St. Louis, Seattle, Evanston, and other communities in the United States and Canada.
To help meet the demand of 25,000 toys needed annually, KASA has designed a 2008 Wayne’s Words of Wisdom t-shirt in Jarrett’s honor. T-shirts will feature KASA Executive Director Wayne Young’s “Top Ten” philosophy on an educational topic. T-shirts will be given to conference attendees who make a $20 donation to the Joy Cart or donate new toys.
To participate and reserve your t-shirt, register for the conference and check the t-shirt box and indicate your size. Shirts will be available in the exhibit hall Wednesday, July 16, and Thursday, July 17. Be sure to stop by the booth to meet the Joy Cart volunteers and learn about community service projects and volunteer opportunities.
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