YAB Member Reflection: Jake Onstott (Catholic Central '20)

I never thought an eight ounce teddy bear could have such a powerful impact on the lives of many children, families, and myself. I never thought something so tiny could bring so much life and excitement into a young child’s life. I walked into the room of a young boy named Jens. He was battling neuroblastoma and had only a few weeks to live. As you can imagine, watching a child die is a horrible process. The room I walked into was dark and lifeless and it seemed as if there was little hope. That all seemed to change though, when the bear arrived. Life sparked within Jens, and I could see it in that young boy’s eyes. He was excited and for a moment he completely forgot about the fact that his life was being taken from a ghastly disease. 

Being in that situation was new for me and I wasn’t sure how I was going to respond to it. Watching a young boy's life being taken away at such a young age is one of the hardest things I've ever seen in my life. He had so much life ahead of him, and in the blink of an eye it was taken away. Despite a lot of the sadness and negative thoughts this brought out, there was so much positive. He was able to take his mind off his illness and be happy. It allowed Jens to realize that he had another person supporting him and there for him through his battle.

Similar to Jens, I had another encounter with a young boy at the hospital named Ethan. Ethan and I played for a couple hours, shooting hoops, playing Xbox, making crafts, and just talked. He seemed like such a normal kid and it was so hard for me to comprehend he was battling cancer. He was having so much fun playing, laughing and asking me typical weird questions that little kids ask. It broke my heart watching him walk down the hall when we were done playing with a pole attached to a monitor and bags full of liquids. I couldn’t wrap my mind around why such a young child had to be going through that. 

At that moment something hit me and made me realize what I had just done for that young boy. I took his mind off all the treatment, needles, and all the other appalling things that come with cancer. Just being there with him allowed him to be a kid again for awhile and to not have to worry about his illness. This experience was so moving for me and showed me that whether I give a child a bear or just my time it can truly have the power to heal them emotionally and spiritually. 

These encounters with Jens and Ethan have been a few of the many. As I continue to pursue ways to bring comfort and spark into young children's lives, I’ve learned how to interact with children within my community and how to grow a deep bond with them. I have a genuine passion for serving those around me and gaining the skills that will better me as a person and ultimately better those around me. Through these encounters, I’ve gained a unique mix of professionalism, intellectual curiosity, ambition, leadership qualities, maturity, and a caring heart that I will take with me for years to come.