STAR WARS R2 Droid Helps Fight Cancer
Star Wars Droids were designed as worker bees, doing various tasks that their owners may not want to do. Here is the heartwarming story of an R2 Droid that joined the fight against cancer.
Katie Johnson was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2004, at the age of 6. Having to go through chemotherapy was tough on Katie and her family. While at her church, Katie thought she saw an R2-D2 unit in the stained glassed window. Her father Albin decided to build his daughter her very own R2 unit to help lift her spirits.
He went to work and even got in touch with the R2 Builders Club when he needed some help. Katie's condition continued to deteriorate, but her father worked even harder to finish the R2 unit. He was finally able to complete the hot pink droid, which he named R2-KT, after his daughter.
The droid kept Katie company for a few months until she passed away in August 2005. Katie's legacy lives on, since R2-KT continues to travel to children's hospitals and events around the country in support of children fighting the illness.
This is a very touching story. Despite being sad, the overall message is very uplifting. I was ill for a long time as a teen and would have loved to have been visited by the R2-KT. Katie is up in heaven, but her spirit lives on in the hearts of Star Wars fans and kids everywhere.