Water Bottle Caps Providing Treatment for Cancer Patients
Above photo: Kaylee Jean from Latexo High School shows off her latest addition to her growing collection of water bottle caps destined to help children with cancer. (Courtesy Kristina Waldrep)
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – As is often the case, big things can spring from the smallest of instances. It was at a Lions Club conference where the Grapeland Noon Lions Club first heard about how cancer patients in Mexico – mainly children – were receiving treatment thanks to volunteers collecting the caps from water bottles.
The group was told the therapy for each patient could be paid with the collection of 4,000 water bottle caps. The Lions brought the message back and started asking people to bring those caps in and maybe save a life.
Donna Sprinkle from the Grapeland Noon Lions Club said one member was doing it on their own to help a loved one, but word just spread and other members and clubs decided to join in. The collection has just begun, but progress is already being made.
“One little girl told me last Sunday she’s collected 114 caps in a week and a half…wow!”
Sprinkle said. “They’re going everywhere collecting them. It’s amazing to get kids involved in this, as well. I think it would be great if we were able to offer something like this to the schools and let them compete.”
The local Lions are looking into exactly what they do to get money from the bottle caps, but the Lions Club in Mexico is coordinating the efforts.
“Somehow, they melt them down for cash, like recycling for cash, but it takes 4,000 of them to do one cancer treatment. But my goodness, anything you can do for a child with cancer is worth it,” Sprinkle said.
Latexo Junior Kaylee Jean was at Light on a Hill Church in Grapeland when she heard about the idea. She thought using something people throw away every day to help people sounded like a good idea.
“At first I thought, ‘That’s kind of weird. Water bottles?’” Jean said. “But I was very drawn to this and started collecting everything I could and was happy knowing this is going to make a difference to somebody.”
Jean started looking for any water bottles she could find personally before taking the mission to Latexo High School.
“I came to school and started telling my friends, ‘Hey, do you have water bottles? Can you just give me the lid?’ And when I told them why, they were happy to help. A teacher heard about it and some of the teachers put it on the whiteboard,” Jean said. “Now, there are little containers and at the end of the day, I go by and pick them up.”
Apart from jujitsu, Jean is working hard in health science and science classes and hopes to go into the medical field after high school. Her parents have gotten in on the act, too.
“Mom and dad are collecting and mom keeps a little cup at home with them. They’re really excited about it and they think it’s a great thing to do,” Jean said.
As of press time, Jean already has over 300 bottle caps and with the help of others around Houston County, maybe just one more child can receive cancer treatment. And all from something we throw away and never think about.
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
