Jarrett’s Joy Cart

Mission

In keeping with the spirit of Jarrett’s original message, the Jarrett’s Joy Cart mission is to positively impact children in various crisis situations, providing for a joyous moment or experience and/or assisting organizations caring for children in crises through various forms of donations.

About

Jarrett Mynear was a very special 13-year-old boy who lived in the central Kentucky community of Nicholasville with his mom, Jennifer, his dad, Doug, and younger sister, Claire. He was interested in those things enjoyed by kids his age – playing with friends, video games, swimming and going on vacation.

The thing that made Jarrett a little different from most kids was that he was diagnosed with cancer six times from two years old until he succumbed to the disease at age 13. As a result of his treatment and rehabilitation, Jarrett spent a lot of time in hospitals receiving chemotherapy, two bone marrow transplants and the amputation of his lower right leg. His treatments were administered at various medical institutions including the Mayo Clinic, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the Kentucky Children’s Hospital and the National Institutes of Health.

When first diagnosed, a family friend told Doug and Jennifer to “look for the good in this bad situation.” Though that statement may seem a little odd, Doug and Jennifer discovered a number of special friends that the family met from across the country. It was because of these friends and Jarrett’s compassion for others that Jarrett decided to start Jarrett’s Joy Cart.

As a patient himself, Jarrett knew that being in the hospital is scary and lonely. He also realized the importance of knowing that someone else was thinking about you as well. Jarrett’s goal in starting the Joy Cart was to bring excitement and joy into every child’s hospital stay.

“It’s not really about the toys. It’s about giving the kids something to look forward to and to enjoy.”