Knoxville Teenager Brings Her Passion for Helping Others to Patients at Knoxville Hospital & Clinics

Knoxville, Iowa – Knoxville teenager Abi Vander Linden is already learning what it takes to work in health care—compassion.

Health care workers share a desire to help others, especially those who are sick. Although she is just a sophomore at Knoxville High School, Abi already has plans for her future to become a pediatric oncology nurse.

Abi has seen the compassion of nurses firsthand and how cancer affects not only the patient, but their family. When her grandpa was diagnosed with brain cancer in April 2021, as heartbreaking as it was, she saw him accept the challenge and fight with confidence and a positive attitude.

“Watching my grandpa continue to be a light even in his darkest days motivated me to help others find joy in all parts of their life,” shared Abi. “When Knoxville Hospital & Clinics (KHC) opened the Don & Margaret Long Infusion Center, filling it with people just like my grandpa who are fighting a courageous fight, it inspired me to try and bring them a little comfort and joy.”

In the fall of 2024, Abi established her non-profit organization, Radiant, with its purpose of empowering individuals through service, education, and responsibility. Her first project has been partnering with KHC and making comfort bags for infusion patients.

Abi has been collecting items for the comfort bags through a donation site set up at Elite Dance by Nicole [located at 203 E. Main Street in Knoxville] where people can donate items to be included in the bags. She made her first delivery to KHC on January 13.

“I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to bring joy to the patients,” said Abi. “Collecting items is the fun part of the project and I love to see how our community comes together. There is no item not appreciated and I love the ability to make each bag a little different.”

When receiving an infusion, patients can be at KHC for upwards of four hours, so it’s nice to provide a variety of items for the patient to find comfort and help pass the time.

Items in the comfort bags include a variety of items like gum, mints, activity books, pens, journals, books, socks, blankets, lotions, chap stick, water bottles—anything that one would find comforting during their time in the infusion center.

In addition to the items in the comfort bags is a special card of encouragement for the recipient of the bag. In October, Abi participated in KHC’s annual Girls Night Out event where she not only accepted donations for the comfort bags but also asked people to write a card of encouragement.

“It was so sweet and meaningful seeing the cards that were created,” said Abi.

Abi’s inspiration to create Radiant was sparked two years ago when she began competing in pageants. In her first year of competing, Abi shares that she saw so many inspirational girls creating organizations and making a difference.

“Seeing all the amazing things that others were doing, really gave me the confidence to create my own project to make a difference in people’s lives.”

Continuing her passion for helping others, Abi was recently crowned Miss Iowa Teen Volunteer where the pageant was largely focused on volunteer and community involvement. Now through March you will see her doing several events and fundraisers throughout Knoxville and other local communities reaching as many people as possible.

In March, she will be competing in the National pageant in Tennessee to be crowned Miss Teen Volunteer America.

“What is exciting about competing in this pageant is the focus on volunteerism and the extraordinary opportunity to partner with the Salvation Army and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” Abi shared. “Sharing my passion for volunteering has been such a fun opportunity and every pageant I enter I hope to make my hometown of Knoxville and the state of Iowa proud.”

Abi is the daughter of Tyler and Nicole Vander Linden of Knoxville. When she is not busy competing in pageants and volunteering, she enjoys participating in competitive dance and high school track and is actively involved in 4-H.

If you wish to join Abi in her passion of bringing comfort and joy to the infusion patients at KHC, items for the comfort bags can be dropped off at Elite Dance by Nicole Monday through Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m.

Knoxville Hospital & Clinics is a non-profit community hospital serving Marion County and the surrounding area. Named a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital, KHC’s highly skilled medical staff and specialists provide personal, compassionate, and innovative quality health care to patients. For more information regarding this release and other happenings at Knoxville Hospital & Clinics, call Public Relations at (641) 842-1418.

Photo caption: Knoxville teenager Abi Vander Linden established her non-profit organization, Radiant, with its purpose of empowering individuals through service, education, and responsibility. Her first project has been partnering with Knoxville Hospital & Clinics (KHC) and making comfort bags for infusion patients. On January 13 she delivered the first comfort bags to staff at KHC. Abi, center, is pictured with KHC staff Kamryn Wilson, Rosie Reid, Ami Morgan, Nastassia Speck, and Kevin Kincaid.