Second grader shows giving spirit to help Texas Health HEB cancer patients

At 7, Gregory has a vision to help others

Gregory Villasenor is your typical 7-year-old – he plays flag football and soccer, likes video games, does his homework, argues with his older brother.  But unlike many elementary school children, Gregory has become one of Texas Health Harris Methodist Foundation’s youngest donors.

Back in September, Gregory shared with his parents that he wanted to set up a website to sell pencils to raise money for cancer patients at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford.  With the help of his 9-year-old brother, Zachary, he already had a name for the website – Pencils 4 Cancer. At first, Janet, a Texas Health HEB employee, and her husband Armando were a little apprehensive of how this would work, if they could get it started, etc.

“I was trying to explain to Gregory that I wasn’t sure if we’d be able to do this and he just looked at me and said ‘Mom, I am hearing too many can’ts and not enough cans,’” shared Janet.  “That’s all we needed to hear to get this started.”

In addition to his Web site, Gregory also wanted to give something immediately back to the hospital so he gave his mom his piggybank and told her to take it to the hospital and donate every cent that was in it – totaling $7.70.

“To have such a giving heart at 7 years old and see the importance of how his donation can make a difference, truly makes this the best gift Texas Health HEB has ever received,” said hospital president Debbie Paganelli.

“I came up with the idea to help others after someone who I go to school with had a brother who died of cancer,” said Gregory.

Gregory’s pencils, which are labeled with the Pencils 4 Cancer name come in six styles with one that changes color when you hold it, are being sold for $1 a pencil.  All proceeds are being donated to the cancer program at Texas Health HEB.  Gregory, who aspires to be a chef and a magician one day, would also like to expand his merchandise to include erasers and Pencils 4 Cancer wristbands as well donate books to cancer patients to read while they are in the hospital.

“As a parent, it just makes you feel good,” said Janet. “You know that at the end of the day you’ve done right with your kids.”

A passionate philanthropist who’s just in the second grade, Gregory has an initial goal to sell 1,000 pencils and he’s even working on a cause statement.  “I want to help people with cancer because people can die and this money can help everyone.” 


Blog contributed by the Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Foundation