Jessica Klinkenberg
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, December 19, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Her living room was filled with teddy bears, and talking about seeing them go caused the teddy bear lady to tear up.

"The beauty of giving to a child... There are no words on this Earth that I can say about what it's like," said Janet Naskathey.

Janet Naskathey, a.k.a. the Teddy Bear Lady, with the teddy bears she collected this year and sent to Gjoa Haven. She has been sending bears to NWT communities since 2000, but this is the first time that she has sent teddy bears to a community in Nunavut. - Jessica Klinkenberg/NNSL photo

The Yellowknife resident was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, and began to accumulate teddy bears given to her from friends and family.

When she had in excess of 600, she decided to donate them to children in Northern communities.

"Growing up I didn't receive any gifts," she said. "I lived on the trap lines with my family."

Now she gathers the teddy bears through donations from St. Patrick's church, and she distributes them with the help of Arctic Sunwest.

She doesn't select the destination but sends them where Arctic Sunwest is going.

This year the teddy bears will be going to Gjoa Haven in Nunavut.

"Gjoa Haven is cold, cold, cold, so the children need a teddy bear to cuddle with," she said.

In previous years she has sent the bears to communities in the Northwest Territories, such as Lutsel K'e.

Last year she was unable to collect the teddy bears due to poor health.

"It was like a void," she said.

She had a tumour removed from her brain and is now back in action.

Naskathey said she tears up every time she packs up the bears and sends them off.

"It's emotionally hard," she said. "But on the other hand I'm happy a child will receive something."

She gives the bears a little pep talk, telling them the purpose of their journey.

"I tell them they're going to make children happy," she said.

Naskathey is looking for someone to take over the teddy bear run when her health is too poor from cancer.

Her criteria are simple. "They should have compassion," she said, and be willing to sacrifice some time for gathering up the teddy bears.

For Naskathey seeing the teddy bears go, and knowing they're going to children, is her Christmas.

After she sends them out, she said, "My Christmas is done."

The bears left Yellowknife for Gjoa Haven on Dec. 14.