Bernice Danetaras still has the Barbie doll she got from the treasure chest. She remembers the doll more than the reason she got it, and that is a testament to her resilience and the power of a program that helped her family through her long illness.

Bernice was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia when she was 4. She and her family were flown from Japan, where her father was stationed in the Navy, to Hawai'i for treatment at Tripler Army Medical Center.

"We didn't know anybody here. We had to fend for ourselves," Bernice's mom, Carol, said. "I wouldn't even trust the nurses for the first two years. I was there in the hospital with Bernice every night."

Then HUGS walked in the door. The Hawai'i agency helps families caring for a seriously ill child. The help comes in various forms, from financial assistance to respite care, family events and support groups. For the Danetaras family, HUGS was like an extended family.

"I could come to the HUGS house and just not (have) to think about things like relapse we could sit down and have a life outside of hospitals," Carol said. "And they're fun people. You can cry and you don't have to explain."

The Barbie came from a HUGS program called Silver Lining, where children who are facing painful procedures get to pick a toy from a treasure chest to help ease the process a bit.

Bernice was in treatment for 2 1/2 years.

"I remember just lying down, not feeling well. I remember my mother always rushing me to the hospital for some weird reason," Bernice said.

Bernice is now in her fifth year of post-treatment and doctors recently gave her a clean bill of health. Her mom told her it was time to express her gratitude.

"Sometimes families are so appreciative they immediately want to give something back," said HUGS executive director Donna Witsell. "We tell them we can have that conversation later on."

The Danetaras family decided to collect and recycle cans and bottles with the goal of raising $1,000 for HUGS.

"This is really out of my comfort zone," Carol said. "I wasn't comfortable asking for money."

Even asking for cans and bottles is tough for them, but they're determined to show their appreciation to HUGS for taking care of them like family.