Hometown Hero: Hailey Hodgkiss

DALLAS - Clarice Tinsley’s Hometown Hero this week is a 16-year-old cancer survivor who makes goodie bags for other teenage cancer patients.

On August 18, 2006 Hailey Hodgkiss was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She spent three months in the hospital and had a really difficult time.

While in the hospital she received a basket full of goodies. She said she was grateful, but many of the items were meant for a child with cancer, not a teenager.

That's when Hailey got an idea. She decided that when she got out of the hospital she'd make goodies bags for teenage cancer patients.

Now Hailey's is in remission after more than two years of chemo. And, she's personally distributed 120 goodies bags to teens at Children's Medical Center; the Dallas hospital is where she was treated.

Hailey walked the walk and she knows what teens like, want and need. For example, movies, treats to keep the calories up while in chemo and sweets to help with nausea, football and sports games for the guys or make-up and nail polish for girls. Each teen also gets a journal so that they can write down their feelings. All of the goodies come in a cool knapsack.

In Hailey’s bags, each patient also gets a colorful pillowcase. It adds color to a bland hospital room and makes it look more like their own room.

Hailey's volunteer service has been recognized with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of North Texas as the 2009 "Sprirt of Tom Landry Character" award.

She wants the patients to see that she's healthy and happy after her cancer battle and she wants that to give them hope. Hailey said if she can make one teenager smile or have a better day then she's done her job.

For more information or to make a donation for the "Goodie Bags of Hope," call 214-456-6280.