Family launches Mimi’s Happy Cart

From left, Mimi’s mother Mechon Ebanks, Head of Pediatrics Dr. Chela Lamsee-Ebanks, pediatric nurse Rebecca Rankine, Mimi’s father Tommy Ebanks and Mimi in the freshly painted pediatric clinic.

Mimi is giving back to the community that supported her.

Mechon and Tommy Ebanks, parents of cancer survivor Skylar May Ebanks, have launched their new endeavor called Mimi’s Happy Cart at the Cayman Islands Hospital.

Their daughter, better known as Mimi, recently celebrated her fifth birthday and five years in remission from cancer, and the family responded by reaching out to other families in need.

Mimi’s Happy Cart will be filled with art supplies, gifts, games and activities for children awaiting treatment. The Ebanks family had seen similar carts during their time spent in hospitals. Mimi endured two brain surgeries and six rounds of chemotherapy at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

“The support that we received from the community throughout these five years has been amazing and means a lot to our family,” said Mrs. Ebanks in a press release. “We consider Mimi a miracle baby and a blessing. To show our appreciation, we wanted to pass that blessing on to our community by giving back to other children who are going through challenging times.”

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At five weeks old, Mimi was diagnosed with brain cancer at the Cayman Islands Hospital, leading to her battle at St. Jude’s. Since then, her scans have consistently shown no evidence of disease.

Mrs. Ebanks told the Cayman Compass in April that Mimi is now thriving as a student and hopes to enroll at The Lighthouse School in September. Mimi celebrated her fifth birthday on May 31, and the five-year anniversary of her initial diagnosis with cancer will pass on July 13.

Skylar May Ebanks, known as Mimi, spends part of her birthday handing out gifts to children at the pediatric clinic at the Cayman Islands Hospital.

The Ebanks family spent Mimi’s birthday passing out gifts to children in the pediatric ward at Cayman Islands Hospital, and Mrs. Ebanks intends to replenish the cart on a monthly basis.

“This is such a heartwarming moment for me and the paediatric staff,” said the head of the hospital’s pediatric department, Dr. Chela Lamsee-Ebanks. “We want to thank the Ebanks family and their little warrior princess Mimi for their very thoughtful and generous contribution to our unit. I know Mimi’s Happy Cart will definitely bring smiles to our patients’ faces.”

People who would like to contribute can contact the Ebanks family via email at [email protected].