Third grader making care packages for patients

Atleigh Johnson is a home-schooled third grader in Las Cruces who makes care packages for patients at the Memorial Medical Center Cancer Center.

Each package Atleigh makes contains fuzzy socks and foot cream, said her mother, Kendra Johnson.

“This is her second project for the cancer center,” Kendra said. “Last year, she sewed about 100 hot packs for both MMC and MountainView Regional Medical Center. She watched me go through chemo for over a year, and once I was done, she decided she wanted to do something to help people feel better while they were at the cancer center.”

“My mom had cancer and I think it’s really important that other people know we care about them,” Atleigh said. “I wanted to do this because I thought it could make them happy while they are at chemo.”

Kendra said Atleigh’s close-up view of cancer treatment within her own family had a powerful influence on her thinking.

“It really affected her,” she said. “She has a huge heart and wanted to give back. She has big dreams to make sure everyone gets a care package, so we had to come up with a plan for donations. She used more than $100 of her own money to buy socks.”

Atleigh “wants to take care of animals when she grows up,” Kendra said, adding her daughter also “likes to play outside, ride her bike and do art.”

To donate money to help with Atleigh’s project, use Venmo: kendra-johnson-83 and Paypal: kendra.johnson@me.com. Or, you can email Kendra Johnson at kendra.johnson@me.com.