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Irish 9-year-old collects 1 000 Easter eggs for sick kids

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Jasmine Parker. (Photo: CATERS/WWW.MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA)
Jasmine Parker. (Photo: CATERS/WWW.MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA)

Touching snaps that have gone viral show a schoolgirl surrounded by mountains of Easter eggs she’s collected for sick kids.

Nine-year-old Jasmine Parker, from Belfast in Northern Ireland, collected 1 100 chocolate eggs for disadvantaged children over the past three years.

Each Easter the kindhearted youngster personally distributes the treats to kids her age and younger at two hospitals and a children’s hospice in the city.

Her proud mom, Maggie Johnston (32), says she has very little involvement – as her role is simply to help load the car and chauffeur her daughter from one location to the next.

“Jasmine has always been kindhearted, so I wasn’t surprised when she was six and asked me if the Easter bunny visits children who are in hospital and sick.

“I said ‘no’ and she came up with this brilliant idea that made me gleam with pride, she’s naturally so caring.

“I put a post on Facebook and she received 171 eggs from friends and family.

“Ever since, she’s been known as the Belfast hospitals’ very own Easter bunny and now she gets a lot more donations every year.

This year 50 eggs were donated from Scotland alone and local companies also gave some – Jasmine was over the moon.

“My living room is now full, we can’t even sit down on the sofa. But it is so worth it as the children will be amazed and so thankful.

“Jasmine loves helping other people and you can’t wipe the smile off her face when she’s given the eggs out on the wards.

“It’s incredible to see how people come together and donate Easter eggs. All I do is write a Facebook appeal on Jasmine’s behalf which gets shared and I organise a collecting point for the donations.”

Photo: CATERS/WWW.MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA

Jasmine took her appeal to another level this year, reaching out to people via a local radio station to help get more eggs for the Royal Victoria Children’s Hospital, Ulster Hospital and the children’s hospice.

Photographs show Jasmine surrounded by boxes of Easter eggs stacked floor to ceiling at home, where she lives with Maggie and her partner, Jay Parker (31)

“Last year there were 283 donations and my car was a tight squeeze as it was so full,” Maggie added.

“This year we’ll need to use my partner’s car too as they won’t all fit in mine!

“Our pride cannot be expressed in words, her enthusiasm to give to others over herself brings a smile to our faces.”

Source: Magazine Features

 Pictures: CATERS/WWW.MAGAZINEFEATURES.CO.ZA
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