Emily Bhatnagar鈥檚 world was turned upside down after learning about her father Mike Bhatnagar鈥檚 cancer diagnosis.
鈥淗e鈥檚 my best friend, so it was really painful to see,鈥� she said.
The then 15-year-old was attending Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, Maryland, when her father was diagnosed with Stage 4 thyroid cancer.
鈥淚t came as a shock to everyone because he was the guy who literally never got sick. He was like, the healthiest person ever, not even like a cough a year, I swear,鈥� Emily said.
Once he started going through cancer treatments, reality set in for the high schooler. Emily鈥檚 physical and mental health began to take a serious toll, and she described it as the darkest time she鈥檚 ever experienced.
When she was 17, she decided she needed to take action.
鈥淢aybe if I channel this pain into something else, it might help both me and someone who鈥檚 really struggling,鈥� Emily said.
That鈥檚 when the idea for , a nonprofit book drive for children with cancer, was born.
She wrote a message on NextDoor, an app that allows local communities to easily connect, asking for book donations.
鈥淚 was expecting like maybe a few responses, but my phone was blowing up with people who wanted to donate books and were in the area. So I spent that summer like practically going house to house picking up books and from there, I cleaned them and donated them and when it started picking up, I was able to create an Amazon wish list, which is how most people donate books now,鈥� Emily said.
For Love & Buttercup was named after the buttercup flower, which she described as 鈥渢eeny鈥� and 鈥渨holesome.鈥�
鈥淭hat is the feeling I sort of wanted these kids to feel for just a teeny bit when they open the brand new book. Just that pure, joyful, youthful innocence where they can just be free and like, be young and I thought For Love & Buttercup captured that beautifully,鈥� Emily said.
Over the course of more than four years, Emily has donated 25,000 books to various hospitals in the D.C. area, including MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, where her father receives treatment, Children鈥檚 National and Holy Cross. She has also donated to hospitals in New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.
鈥淚t鈥檚 truly my dream job,鈥� Emily said.
Emily’s father, Mike, said the book drive has been fulfilling, particularly when he joins his daughter to deliver books.
鈥淚t keeps her busy. It keeps her out of my hair,鈥� Mike said with a laugh. 鈥淪he鈥檚 turning out to be a more responsible person and she spends a lot of time in it even though she has to do a lot of homework for college. She鈥檚 doing a great job.鈥�
Now, Emily is 21 years old and doing a remote program at the University of Pennsylvania so she can take care of her father. While Mike鈥檚 battle with cancer is ongoing, she said he鈥檚 in great spirits.
鈥淗e鈥檚 the cheeriest person ever and he鈥檚 been doing really well,鈥� Bhatnagar said.
Why books?
As a child, Bhatnagar was very shy. She would often find herself hiding behind big picture books in class in an attempt to not be seen.
鈥淏ut I think at one point or another I started actually reading the pages inside these books and I was just so fascinated,鈥� she said. 鈥淔rom there, books and I were inseparable practically. They were my comfort during everything, during the times I was too shy to speak in class and later as a teenager during my dad鈥檚 battle with cancer.鈥�
She added that her childhood was really lonely at times, so she鈥檚 always had a soft spot for children.
鈥淢eeting the kids is my absolute favorite,鈥� Emily said.
How you can donate
You can send Bhatnagar a direct message on Instagram if you have a gently used book you鈥檇 like to donate. Her account is @forloveandbuttercup.
Another way to donate is that鈥檚 linked in her Instagram biography. Those books are brand new and are good for children who are at high risk for infection.
Or, if you鈥檙e feeling hungry, you can donate books at Emily鈥檚 parents鈥� bread shop, Monsoon Kitchens in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Books for all age ranges are acceptable, from baby board books to novels.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
漏 2025 91欧美激情. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
