Daisy Troop Gives Huntley Girl a Special Gift

Breanna Westberg, a Girl Scout Daisy, likes to play outside and visit Huntley’s Diecke Park’s playground. But her new friend,  Teagan Haniszewski, can’t play like the girls their age.

“She got a cancer,” six year old Breanna said. “She had to get stitches.”

When Breanna and her fellow Daisies from Troop 244 learned that Teagan needed a special walker to help her play outside, the troop decided to donate $600 toward the purchase of the equipment.

The Daisy troop, consisting of 12 girls between 5 and 6, sold 2,271 boxes of Girl Scout cookies this spring and raised about $1,800 to go toward activities, like going bowling or field trips, Janet Westberg, Breanna’s mom, said.

Instead of spending the money on themselves, the troop bought Teagan the walker.

The Huntley girl will get the walker today (Friday, April 15) at a party the troop is throwing in her honor, Janet said. The girls will be decorating the walker and giving it to Teagan at Diecke Park.

Breanna is happy her friend, who she said “has curly hair and she’s nice,” will be able to play outside with the walker.

“It definitely shows you don’t have to be an adult to do this kind of stuff,” Janet said.

Teagan’s “owie”

Troop leader, Dawn Guyer, sat down with the girls and explained to them that Teagan had a bad “owie” on her head and had to have medicine that left her unable to walk by herself.

Teagan had a brain tumor diagnosed at age two. She spent 10 weeks in a pediatric intensive care following surgery, due to other complications. Teagan’s story is detailed in a YouTube video her parents put together.

Guyer asked the girls how they would feel if they couldn’t walk around, Janet said. “It got them talking about how it would be so sad and this is what this little girl goes through.”

The girls also wanted to know if Teagan would have hair and whether her “owie” was outside, Janet said.

“It was definitely one of those moments, the kids understood they are doing this for a little girl who can’t do the things they, as little girls, can do,” Janet said.

The Daisies met Teagan when the troop went to Color Me Mine in Crystal Lake. “Teagan loved it, she told her dad, ‘these are my new friends,’” Janet said. “She totally enjoyed it, it was absolutely great.”

Happy to help

Teagan “beat the odds,” Janet said. “Her life is very hard on a daily basis, but her parents are so glad to have her every day.” The family doesn’t ask for help, however, there are many things Teagan need so helping with the walker was rewarding for the troop and Westberg.

“I was able to tell Carly to tell Teagan she got her wish,” Janet said. “It’s very wonderful.”

Janet and her husband, JR, have also been affected by knowing Teagan and her family.

“It makes us think every single day that the little things we go through with the kids, the little hiccups, is not compared with what Carly and Bryant have gone through,” Janet said.