Grand Prairie volunteer helps craft a therapy

Grand Prairie: Resident has spent 10 years making Children's hospital playroom a respite
12:00 AM CST on Sunday, February 10, 2008
By CHRIS COATS / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

Peggy Hogg has proof that angels exist. She met one at Children's Medical Center Dallas minutes after her granddaughter, Sarah Hunter, had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma, bone cancer.

The 12-year-old was to have her left leg amputated below the knee.

"I was walking in a daze pushing Sarah in her wheelchair waiting for her room to be ready when we came to the playroom," Ms. Hogg said.

Packing up after a day of craft activities was volunteer Nancy Johnson.

"Nancy sensed we were emotionally in need," Ms. Hogg said. "She told Sarah, 'Let's make something while your parents talk to the doctors.' She immediately unpacked all of her art supplies. We still have the craft she made that day, and all the others that she made with Nancy. We credit her right along with the doctors for Sarah beating cancer."

For 10 years, Ms. Johnson has been cranking out crafts twice a week with the kiddos in the playroom of the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children's.

She's donated more than 7,000 hours – not counting the drive to and from her home in Grand Prairie.

"Those kids count on me," Ms. Johnson said. "I have kids that wake up from ICU, and the first thing they ask is, 'Did I miss craft?' I can't let them down."

A retired oncologist assistant, Ms. Johnson knew she wanted to work with children battling cancer.

"They live for the moment," she said. "Everything we do in the playroom is about celebrating life, whether it's with crafts or playing games."

For seven years, Ms. Johnson personally funded all of the craft projects – at times for 30 or more children. Her 85-year-old father got in on the act by helping with the prep work along with her mother, a lifelong crafter.

Three years ago, the Clayton Dabney Foundation provided financial relief, a grant for their crafts.

Dr. Bob Bash, a hematology and oncology specialist at Children's, has interacted with Ms. Johnson, the patients and their families for many years.

"I can't imagine dealing with the stress of cancer without Nancy," Dr. Bash said. "She's just as vital to their medical treatment as anything that we provide."

If patients can't make it to craft time, she'll bring crafts to their rooms. If they've been moved to ICU or hospice, she delivers or mails the crafts

"She's a magic carpet ride away from reality," Ms. Hogg said. "The whole room is having fun. You'd never know anyone was sick if it wasn't for their chemo drips."

Ms. Johnson admits to having seen many "survivors and medical miracles." But she underestimated the effect of her crafts until she received a letter from a mother.

"The little girl told her mom that she needed to make these two ornaments for her sisters before she died," Ms. Johnson said. "I'm 60 years old, and I realized that as long as I can keep going, I'll keep making crafts."

Recently, she had the tables in the playroom covered with candy conversation hearts, red and pink construction paper, and heart-shaped lace doilies for making Valentine cards. Madalyn White, 8, was in the middle of gluing candy hearts on her card.

"The crafts are fun because they aren't hard to make and very pretty," Madalyn said. "I like it when she teaches us to make bird feeders."

Chivonda Montgomery, whose 5-year-old son, Billy, is a patient at the hospital, sees more than cutting and pasting.

"It gives them a chance to take their mind off what is going on," Ms. Montgomery said. "Nancy is a godsend."