The week's good news: April 12, 2018

1. Strangers shower young cancer patient named Daisy with daisies for her 11th birthday

When Daisy Anguiano Miranda walked into the lobby of Nebraska Medicine in Omaha and saw hundreds of birthday cards and gifts, she couldn't believe what was in front of her. Strangers from across the U.S. sent Anguiano Miranda presents as part of a campaign called "Daisies for Daisy," started by Ashli Brehm. Brehm, a breast cancer survivor, met Anguiano Miranda during treatment, and when she discovered the child had been diagnosed for the second time with a rare bone cancer, she wanted to do something special for her. Brehm asked readers of her blog to send anything daisy-related to the hospital for Anguiano Miranda's 11th birthday, and on April 9, she went through all of the gifts — including paper daisies, seeds, art supplies, and blankets — and cards she received. "I looked shocked and wanted to faint, but I knew I couldn't," Anguiano Miranda said. "I'm so happy."

3 News Now

2. After learning how to sew, 89-year-old man makes bags for those in need

He only learned how to sew two years ago, but Dwight Goins, 89, has made up for lost time. The retired landscaper from Upland, California, creates large care bags for the homeless, and smaller bags and pencil cases for foster kids. "It gives me something to do, and it makes somebody happy," he told NBC Los Angeles. He needed something to do after his wife of 40 years died, Goins said, and was inspired to take up sewing after grocery stores started charging for bags. Recently, Goins made bags for the senior citizens at the Upland Rehab and Care Center, which they placed on their walkers and wheelchairs. "He's always been a very heart-sy person," his daughter, Cheryl, said. "I think he gives a piece of himself away every time he gives a bag away."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

NBC Los Angeles

3. The world's first museum dedicated to dachshunds opens in Germany

What has short legs, a long body, and its own museum in Germany? The dachshund, of course. The Dackelmuseum in Passau, Germany, opened earlier this month, the creation of two former florists who spent 25 years collecting all things dachshund — toys, artwork, statues, stuffed animals. They amassed more than 4,500 items, and say their museum showcases the largest collection of dachshund-related objects on Earth. "The world needs a sausage dog museum," co-founder Seppi Küblbeck told BBC News. "No other dog in the world enjoys the same kind of recognition or popularity as the symbol of Bavaria, the sausage dog." In the Middle Ages, dachshunds were bred to flush out badgers from their burrows in order to keep them from going after ducks and hens, and the dogs became known as good hunters.

BBC News

4. 7-year-old Texan becomes youngest female to ever climb Mount Kilimanjaro

When she reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro last month, Montannah Kenney, 7, became the youngest female to climb to the top of Africa's highest mountain. A resident of Austin, Texas, Kenney and her mom, Hollie, planned the adventure as a way of honoring Montannah's dad, who died when she was a toddler. "The higher I go, the closer I get to him in heaven," she told the Austin American-Statesman before leaving for Tanzania. Family friend Declan Waters said they started their journey on March 10, and reached the top March 16. The record used to be held by Roxy Getter, 8, of Florida. It's estimated that about 25,000 people attempt to climb to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro every year, with roughly two-thirds successful.

Austin American-Statesman

5. Pizza delivery driver saves homeowner from fire

Some heroes don't wear capes — they carry pizza boxes. Pizza delivery driver Ralph Letner was taking a pie to a trailer park when he noticed one of the homes was on fire. Letner sprinted inside and crawled below a cloud of smoke before shutting off the electrical breaker and rescuing the homeowner from the blaze. "The way I was raised is to help people in all situations," says Letner. "And sometimes it can mean having to put your life on the line to help keep someone safe."

The Associated Press