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When Keiko Foster was being seen at a medical facility in Winchester, Virginia — her son, Life Scout Joshua Foster, witnessed another Life Scout kindly give to Keiko and other patients, care packages as part of a project to become an Eagle Scout.

Those acts of compassion meant so much to Keiko, it drove her son to pay it forward. “That motivated me to do the same for other people and hopefully inspire someone else to maybe do the same for others,” remembers Joshua.

In fall 2024, the Fosters made the nearly two-hour drive from Haymarket to Charlottesville, Virginia, for Keiko to undergo a stem cell transplant at UVA Health University Medical Center. As Joshua supported his mother through the experience, he became even more determined to put his plan into action.

‘Little Gifts That Mean a Whole Lot’ 

Joshua launched his own Eagle Scout project to make care packages and distribute them to patients at UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center. He reached out to Judy Kauffman, DNP, MSN, RN, CNN, Director, Cellular Therapy and Stem Cell Transplant Program and UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center Service Line Quality, for guidance. In February, she graciously offered to make the hour-long drive to meet Joshua and Keiko in Harrisonburg, Virginia, to come up with a list of items to pack in the bags.

“Knowing there are people out there thinking about them, caring about them — these are little gifts that mean a whole lot because you spend several weeks and sometimes months in the hospital post-transplant,” explains Judy. “These care packages will bring a little bit of love and joy to those patients.”

Call to Action 

In the following months, Joshua reached out to churches, other organizations, and other Scout troops to help raise donations and supplies. The result: 20 clear plastic gift totes that include lip balm, tissues, blankets, slippers, pens, colored pencils, coloring books, crossword puzzles and other games — and a greeting card with words of encouragement, signed by troop members! Joshua and his Troop 2 packed the bags with care.

“He has dedicated a tremendous amount of time and effort, engaging his community to gather support and assemble these packages,” hails Judy. “This is a significant milestone for him.” 

Joshua is now 17 and getting ready to start his senior year of high school in Gainesville, Virginia. He and Keiko returned to Charlottesville to deliver the bags — and a check for a $1,117.21 donation to UVA Cancer Center — during a presentation on June 22 at Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center. “I hope this will bring joy to the patients,” Joshua told reporters who covered the event for local media. 

‘Powerful Reminder’ 

Donna Jessen, LCSW, Stem Cell Transplant, served as Keiko's social worker throughout her stem cell transplant journey. Jessen also accompanied Joshua on a care package delivery to the Inpatient Unit. "This patient faced an incredibly difficult road to recovery and has been unable to communicate in full sentences — or even words. Witnessing their eyes light up and hearing them express words of gratitude to Joshua was a truly special and moving moment," recounts Jessen.  

The patient received a gift tote with pleasant surprises. It included purple slippers. Turns out, purple is the patient’s favorite color! The tote also included a dog puzzle. The patient declared, “I love dogs!” 

"Experiences like these are a powerful reminder of the impact that compassion and small acts of kindness can have during the healing process,” shares Donna. 

‘Resilience, Compassion, and Community’ 

“This is a huge undertaking for our patients to go through stem cell transplant. They are away from their families and loved ones from weeks to months,” explains Judy. “I think this project just speaks volumes to the support our patients have throughout the community and throughout the Commonwealth, coming from across Virginia and beyond.” 

The Foster family’s bond with Judy continues. Joshua has asked her to be a reference for him in his Eagle Scout journey, and this fall, he's invited her to attend his Eagle Court of Honor — the formal ceremony that will recognize his attainment of the highest rank in Scouting. 

“Joshua’s story is incredibly inspiring — having supported his mother through transplant, he’s now giving back to others facing a similar journey. It’s a striking example of resilience, compassion, and community,” raves Judy.