MIFFLINBURG -- A teenager from Mifflinburg recently earned a national award for creating a special stuffed frog in memory of her sister who died from cancer.
Kylie Kuhns, 17, of Mifflinburg is making a difference in the lives of sick children with help from a stuffed frog.
In 2005, Kylie's older sister Kelsey died of leukemia at the age of 12. Since then, Kylie and her family formed the foundation "Kelsey's Dream," which helps children battling cancer.
"Everything we do through Kelsey's Dream, we try to think of what Kelsey would have liked."
That's how Kylie came up with her next idea: Hopper the Cancer Crusher. The stuffed frog is based on one of her late sister's drawings and Hopper is given to children battling cancer.
"Going through chemotherapy can be scary for anyone, especially a child, so he can kind of alleviate the problems and fear that can happen," Kylie explained.
Hopper has made his way to 45 different hospitals in 27 different states, including Janet Weis Children's Hospital near Danville.
"It's very cool having them right in our backyard and having her develop this awesome idea and provide it to us," said Katie Riese at Janet Weis Children's Hospital.
Kylie says her goal is to get Hopper in every pediatric hospital in the country.
Recently, Build-A-Bear Workshop helped her with that goal by awarding her $2,500 and naming Kylie a "huggable hero."
Kylie says the money will help the frog hop to more hospitals.
"That was exciting because every little bit helps and something like that is really helpful, obviously. The more Hoppers, the better."
Hopper even has a mediport so hospitals use him as a teaching tool.
"That's how we're going to give them medicine. So it's a great toy that they can relate to," Riese said.
Kylie says so far around 4,000 kids in hospitals around the country have received Hopper the Cancer Crusher.