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Emily Bhatnagar’s world was turned upside down after learning about her father Mike Bhatnagar’s cancer diagnosis.

“He’s my best friend, so it was really painful to see,” she said.

The then 15-year-old was attending Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, Maryland, when her father was diagnosed with Stage 4 thyroid cancer.

“It came as a shock to everyone because he was the guy who literally never got sick. He was like, the healthiest person ever, not even like a cough a year, I swear,” Emily said.

Once he started going through cancer treatments, reality set in for the high schooler. Emily’s physical and mental health began to take a serious toll, and she described it as the darkest time she’s ever experienced.

When she was 17, she decided she needed to take action.

“Maybe if I channel this pain into something else, it might help both me and someone who’s really struggling,” Emily said.

That’s when the idea for For Love & Buttercup, a nonprofit book drive for children with cancer, was born.

She wrote a message on NextDoor, an app that allows local communities to easily connect, asking for book donations.

“I was expecting like maybe a few responses, but my phone was blowing up with people who wanted to donate books and were in the area. So I spent that summer like practically going house to house picking up books and from there, I cleaned them and donated them and when it started picking up, I was able to create an Amazon wish list, which is how most people donate books now,” Emily said.

For Love & Buttercup was named after the buttercup flower, which she described as “teeny” and “wholesome.”

“That is the feeling I sort of wanted these kids to feel for just a teeny bit when they open the brand new book. Just that pure, joyful, youthful innocence where they can just be free and like, be young and I thought For Love & Buttercup captured that beautifully,” Emily said.

Over the course of more than four years, Emily has donated 25,000 books to various hospitals in the D.C. area, including MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, where her father receives treatment, Children’s National and Holy Cross. She has also donated to hospitals in New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

“It’s truly my dream job,” Emily said.

Emily’s father, Mike, said the book drive has been fulfilling, particularly when he joins his daughter to deliver books.

“It keeps her busy. It keeps her out of my hair,” Mike said with a laugh. “She’s turning out to be a more responsible person and she spends a lot of time in it even though she has to do a lot of homework for college. She’s doing a great job.”

Now, Emily is 21 years old and doing a remote program at the University of Pennsylvania so she can take care of her father. While Mike’s battle with cancer is ongoing, she said he’s in great spirits.

“He’s the cheeriest person ever and he’s been doing really well,” Bhatnagar said.

Why books?

As a child, Bhatnagar was very shy. She would often find herself hiding behind big picture books in class in an attempt to not be seen.

“But I think at one point or another I started actually reading the pages inside these books and I was just so fascinated,” she said. “From there, books and I were inseparable practically. They were my comfort during everything, during the times I was too shy to speak in class and later as a teenager during my dad’s battle with cancer.”

She added that her childhood was really lonely at times, so she’s always had a soft spot for children.

“Meeting the kids is my absolute favorite,” Emily said.

How you can donate

You can send Bhatnagar a direct message on Instagram if you have a gently used book you’d like to donate. Her account is @forloveandbuttercup.

Another way to donate is through the Amazon wish list that’s linked in her Instagram biography. Those books are brand new and are good for children who are at high risk for infection.

Or, if you’re feeling hungry, you can donate books at Emily’s parents’ bread shop, Monsoon Kitchens in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Books for all age ranges are acceptable, from baby board books to novels.

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