My Tucson: Little things help buoy heart of a child

Dear Santa,

Hi! It's me, Lizzie. I know 13 is a little old to be writing you, but I'm doing it for my friends and other kids with serious diseases, like me.

Just like the milk and cookies that keep you going from house to house on Christmas Eve, it's the little things that keep us hanging on from treatment to treatment, just to stay alive.

When I go to University Medical Center every other week or so to get a blood transfusion, I see other kids who have to come as much or more often than I do.

I've learned to deal with it, but many of the other children aren't as used to the needles, being scared and having to hold still.

One little thing that helps them get through their fear and pain time after time is the "Lizzie's Loot" box, where they pick out a surprise when they're done with treatment.

A box for young kids has new toys, and one for teens has gift cards for coffee, the mall or department stores.

With my rare disease, Diamond Blackfan Anemia, my bones can't make red blood cells, so I've lived on transfusions most of my life.

As much as I don't like the treatments, I feel better seeing kids go to the toy box and smile, even just a little, when they are picking out their gifts.

Sometimes when kids finish with the big needles and finally get to the toy box, it's empty. When this happens, I feel worse.

And it happens too often, with almost 800 kids going through the clinic every month.

The John P. Bell Family Foundation is the reason Lizzie's Loot can support "the curious little things that make the heart of a child want to hang on," as my mom, Kathy Flores Bell, says.

We also try to help their families hang on.

Another little thing that makes a big difference for kids in the hospital is being able to get out of their room sometimes.

Being hooked up to all the tubes and bags and poles makes it really tough for our parents to take us for a walk or to the lounge, so my mom and dad found a pediatric nurse who designed a nifty little buggy called a Medwagon.

It looks like a little red wagon, but it's comfortable and has a pole to carry up to three machines and medicine bags.

So far, our foundation has been able to send 56 Medwagons to hospitals in Tucson, other U.S. cities and even a few to other countries.

Lizzie's Loot has some great friends, like the residents of the Voyager RV Resort, who support about nine Medwagons a year. They are just a few of our wonderful volunteers and donors.

Kevin Leman is also our good friend. He said he's glad to lend a hand because we work hard to help kids right here in Tucson.

Other nonprofit organizations work with us, too, like The Make-A-Wish Foundation and the American Red Cross.

We need more friends to keep doing so many important things. We need money, volunteers and corporations to help us help kids and families.

Most important, we need blood donors. This is not a little thing. Our lives depend on them.

I know you are very, very busy this season, but I hope you can help. Even just a little.

Sincerely yours,

Lizzie Bell