PITTSBURGH \u2014 Duncan Simmons was in and out of UPMC Children\u2019s Hospital for six months, being treated for Stage IV Burkitt leukemia. It\u2019s something he was diagnosed with when he was just 14 years old.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t really thinking about the possibility that I would die. I was more thinking about how long until I would eventually get through it,\u201d Simmons told Channel 11\u2019s Andrew Havranek.<\/p>\n
He said there was one thing that helped his days feel normal.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat really helped me was getting new food,\u201d Simmons said. \u201cI mean, at first the food\u2019s good, but it gets repetitive. And for kids that are in there for years without possibility of leaving, I\u2019m sure that menu gets a little bit repetitive at times.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember one night he just said, \u2018I really want a chili dog,\u2019 and there\u2019s no chili dog on the menu for Children\u2019s,\u201d his dad, Chris Simmons, recalled. \u201cSo thankfully, we were able because we\u2019re local.<\/p>\n
Simmons is now in remission. So, when Make-A-Wish reached out to him, Simmons said he didn\u2019t want to use his wish on himself. He wanted to help other kids he saw in Children\u2019s Hospital going through the hardest days of their lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cI might as well just make things better for the kids who are going through something worse than me, and in worse situations than me, and in worse incomes than me,\u201d Simmons said.<\/p>\n
He asked Make-a-Wish and the Child Life Department at the hospital to help him launch \u201cDuncan\u2019s Diner.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a new fund to help kids who are on the ninth floor hematology\/oncology unit get gift cards for food.<\/p>\n
\u201cFast food items you can\u2019t get at the hospital or generally other food that\u2019s not available for obvious reasons,\u201d he said. \u201cI mean, they can only have so much on a menu.\u201d<\/p>\n
Make-A-Wish donated Sheetz gift cards to help with food and transportation costs and also made a cash donation to set up Duncan\u2019s Diner. DoorDash matched that donation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe initial donation from Door Dash helps 275 families, so we\u2019re hoping to keep this going,\u201d Chris Simmons said. <\/p>\n
Duncan Simmons said, while it isn\u2019t much, it\u2019s one thing that can bring a smile to a kid\u2019s face. His mom agreed.<\/p>\n
\u201cPutting a smile on the face of those kids, you don\u2019t see it all the time, so when you can make it happen, it\u2019s a wonderful thing,\u201d Neelie Simmons said.<\/p>\n
The Simmons family hopes Duncan\u2019s Diner can continue bringing a smile to those children\u2019s faces.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re interested in donating to Duncan\u2019s Diner, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Download the FREE WPXI News app<\/a> for breaking news alerts.<\/p>\n Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>. | Watch WPXI NOW<\/a><\/p>\n TOP STORIES FROM CHANNEL 11 NEWS <\/p>\n \u00a92025 Cox Media Group<\/p>\n