Spencer’s gift

Mike Sciacca, Independent

Teresa Stockton can still see Spencer’s smile. She even says she can

almost feel her son in what was his bedroom. It gives her comfort, she

says.

Though Spencer is gone, she can’t help but smile when she thinks about

the smiles on the faces of children who receive a gift bearing her son’s

name.

Teresa Stockton and her husband, Ron, started the Huntington Beach

nonprofit organization, Spencer’s Treasures, in honor of five-year-old

Spencer, who died from a rare brain tumor on his brain stem on Feb. 11

last year. Two months after his passing, they started a program that

places wooden treasure chests full of small toys at hospitals and

facilities that cater to children with life-threatening illnesses.

They began with just three treasure chests. Through their hard work

and the tremendous generosity of others, Spencer’s Treasures now boasts

37 chests. On Friday, Teresa Stockton said, she collected four bags full

of toys from Christ Presbyterian Preschool in Huntington Beach.

The total amount of toys collected stood at 18,000 as of last week,

Stockton said.

After children pick out toys to enjoy, she and others associated with

the organization refill the chests every couple of weeks.

“It has been very rewarding and very therapeutic,” Stockton said. “I

have mothers come up to me and offer a personal ‘thank you’ for giving

their children joy. It has been overwhelming.”

When Spencer was sick he had countless doctor’s appointments and

received eight months of various treatments, Teresa Stockton said. But,

she noted, the only thing Spencer received following these visits was

maybe a sticker. To reward him for getting through another day of having

his blood drawn or some other treatment, she or her husband would take

Spencer to get a Happy Meal, which contained a toy, or take him to a toy

store.

“Nothing big, mind you,” she said. “But it was his motivation to go to

the doctor, knowing that he would get a toy of some sort when he was

done. After Spencer passed away we really wanted to do something that

reflected him and the toys. Then the idea of a treasure chest just came

to me one night. People had been asking us where they could donate money

in his name, and this was perfect.”

The Stockton’s, who also have a four-year-old son, Jacob, started out

with a toy drive at their church, Sts. Simon & Jude in Huntington Beach.

They received great response and now a basket sits in every classroom,

which students continue to fill every week.

The treasure chests also are set up at Huntington Seacliff School as

well as schools from Laguna Beach to Yorba Linda, from mommy’s groups to

hospitals throughout the Southland. One chest is set up at Beach Family

Doctors in Huntington Beach, three are stationed at Fountain Valley

Regional Hospital and 18 more are set up at three CHOC locations.

Stockton said that she also collected a couple of thousands of toys

through last year’s Christmas show that radio personalities Mark & Brian

put on at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles.

She Brown, phlebotomy supervisor at St. Joseph Hospital’s Outpatient

Pavilion in Orange, sees firsthand the good Spencer’s Treasures has

brought. Three chests are set up at the hospital.

“We have kids in here who have received renal transplants or have

brain tumors and I have to tell you they absolutely light up when they

see these toys,” said Brown, who has been with the hospital for 23 years.

“They really look forward to picking out a toy and it almost makes them

forget what they are really here for.”

Marla Smith also praises the program. Her 6-year-old daughter,

Mikaela, was diagnosed with leukemia in Dec. of 1999 and is a patient at

CHOC.

“That treasure chest actually gets Mikaela’s mind off what actually is

going to happen to her in the doctor’s office,” Smith said. “So many

times, she has to wait for a nurse or doctor to come into the room to see

her and that waiting makes her anxious and she begins to anticipate the

needles. She sees that treasure chest and it helps to distract her.”

Spencer’s Treasures has become full-time work for Teresa Stockton, who

said that some facilities go through 150 toys per week.

“We’ve heard great success stories of how the toys help the children

relax or calm them while receiving chemotherapy, blood work, MRIs and

other procedures,” added Stockton, who runs their home office out of

Spencer’s bedroom. “You know, just when I think I’m getting burnt out, we

receive another wonderful call telling us how much this is helping

others. We know Spencer’s spirit and name is helping sick children and

continues the joy of a simple toy.”

* MIKE SCIACCA is the education and sports reporter. He can be reached

at (714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at [email protected].