Jarrett's Joy Cart

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Jarrett's Joy Cart is a charity organization that gives toys to children in long-term care at hospitals. It is named for Jarrett Mynear, a young boy from Nicholasville, Kentucky, who started the program with his family while receiving treatment for bone cancer. Inspired by the "Pink Ladies" who gave gifts to children at the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, Jarrett and his parents thought they should start similar program at the local UK Children's Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. The first "Joy cart" appeared at the hospital in March 1999, and was instant success. The event caught the interest of several local TV and radio programs and Jarrett also made four appearances on The Rosie O'Donnell Show and gained sponsorship with Toys R' Us, which brought the idea national attention. Jarrett died in 2002 at the age of 13, but many volunteers have kept the legacy alive at the UK hospital and hospitals in several other cities in the US.