SANTA OF THE SPRINGTIME GIRL COLLECTS TOYS FOR KIDS.

Byline: Peggy Hager Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Brittany McDaniels is at it again.

The 11-year-old girl with the big heart recently appeared on the ``Queen Latifah Show'' and received several donations from toy companies to donate to children undergoing cancer treatments at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Woodland Hills.

``After the kids get a bone-marrow test or chemo, they can pick out a toy and it kinda takes their mind off of, if they're hurting or if they're crying,'' Brittany said. ``I like doing the toy box because it makes me feel good.'' Diagnosed with leukemia in 1998 at the age of 9, the Palmdale girl said she often received small toys or other items after her treatments that made her feel better. Now she is returning that kindness.

Brittany has been in remission for a year now.

``When she started feeling better about a year ago, she started a toy box at Kaiser Hospital in Woodland Hills to give something (to kids) after a treatment. We went to a 99 Cent store and she took $20 from her allowance and bought items for the kids,'' said Brittany's mother, Barbara McDaniels. ``Even the parents would say, 'God, thanks, Brittany so much.' ''

``Going on the show was great,'' Brittany said. ``I got donations from the Vermont Teddy Bears and I got gift certificates from Kay-Bee Toys.''

In fact, Vermont Teddy Bears gave her $3,000 worth of teddy bears and Kay-Bee Toys gave her $1,500 worth of stuff, including a Power Wheel vehicle.

Brittany doesn't donate all the toys at one time. So the kids always have something new, she makes weekly visits to the hospital and brings a few toys at a time.

``I've already donated some of them,'' Brittany said. ``Every time I go I put more in.''

``She bought things that she thought were important for the kids,'' Barbara McDaniels said. ``She gets toys that stay at the hospital and she also gets toys the kids can take home.''

Brittany also requests donations from schools and churches to buy snacks for the kids.

``That's a real important thing because they can spend more than eight hours there,'' Barbara said.

Brittany has also received donations from supermodel Kathy Ireland, producer Lisa Jackson from the show ``Everybody Loves Raymond,'' and producer Jools Clark from the ``Donny and Marie Show.''

Brittany helped out her fellow cancer patients in July of last year with her campaign to raise money to replace video games that were stolen from the Kaiser pediatric oncology clinic.

Now that she is down to monthly treatments, Brittany has returned to school after a two-year absence. She now attends Hillview Middle School as a sixth-grader. She will end all treatments in July and will be considered cured after five years.

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Photo:

(1 -- 2) Leukemia survivor Brittany McDaniels, 11, of Palmdale shows some of the toys, above, she's collected for young cancer patients being treated at Kaiser Permanente in Woodland Hills. Below, Kay-Bee Toys employees Aaron Varela, left, and Cesar Perez, assemble a toy car donated to Brittany's cause.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer