CAPE GIRL, 13, ONE OF 50 NAMED `REAL HERO'

Diagnosed with leukemia seven years ago, 13-year-old Tracy Nicole Taylor will be recognized this weekend as one of the nation's "Real Heroes" for her efforts to bring a bit of cheer to young patients at a local hospital.

She is one of 50 people selected nationwide to be honored in this year's Maxwell House "Search for Real Heroes." The awards program is designed to recognize outstanding Americans "whose selfless contributions, personal sacrifices and dedication have helped make a difference in other people's lives."

Every Thursday after school, Traci travels to Southeast Missouri Hospital, where she is the engineer of the "Toy Train." It is a specially designed cart full of books, crafts and games for children in the hospital's pediatric ward to cure the doldrums of hospital life.

To her mother Donna, Traci has always been a real hero.

Traci was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 6 years old, undergoing a year of chemotherapy before her disease went into remission for two years.

When she had a relapse in 1990, her family knew she would have to undergo a bone marrow transplant to survive.

"She was one of the lucky ones," said Donna Taylor, Traci's bone marrow donor. "We saw a lot of kids die in the time we spent with Traci. It was very, very sad."

Three years later, 13-year-old Traci is a straight-A student at L.J. Schultz School who is becoming more and more involved in the community with each passing year.

Her "Toy Train" was really a takeoff from something Traci was exposed to as a patient in Dallas, Texas, hospitals.

Traci's family formerly lived in Coppell, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. There, Patrick Taylor had a remodeling and glass business, and carried health insurance for the whole family.

When Traci was diagnosed with leukemia, he knew the family's insurance could only hold out for so long. The policy was canceled when Traci had a relapse three years later. When it came time for the transplant, the hospital in Iowa would not admit Traci without at least $180,000 in the bank.

The family's church in Coppell raised that much and more.

While in and out of Dallas hospitals, Traci enjoyed the toys and crafts made available to the young patients. "She really loves to do crafts," said Donna Taylor. "She always likes to be doing something -- she's never been very idle."

After her family moved to Cape Girardeau in September 1991, Traci spent a good deal of time in Southeast Missouri Hospital's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit while recovering from the transplant.

"There was nothing for the older kids to do," said Patrick Taylor. "There was a playroom for the younger kids, but it really wasn't appropriate for the older kids.

"I remember when she first came up with the idea (for the train)," he said. "She said to me that it would be nice if Southeast Hospital had the same kind of activities that were available to the children in the Dallas hospitals."

Donna Taylor added: "She's always had such a positive attitude throughout this whole ordeal, partly because she has stayed so active. She really looked forward to the craft cart coming around while she was in the hospital."

So Traci set to work designing a "Toy Train" which her father built in his spare time away from his job as a private contractor and owner of Taylor Glass and Remodeling.

With money donated through the North Cape Church of Christ, friends and family, Traci continues to stock the wagon with all kinds of goodies to keep kids of all ages busy.

Traci and her mother load down the wagon with craft kits they assemble themselves, toys and goodies from The Dollar Store and whatever else they manage to get their hands on.

"The kids are always happy to see me," Traci said. "I really look forward to Thursday afternoons. I wish I could do it everyday."

Traci began her visits to the hospital a little more than a year ago. When her mother saw the Maxwell House "Search For Real Heroes" advertisement in a TV Guide, she clipped it out and wrote a 100-word essay on why her child was deserving of the honor.

"I instantly thought of Traci," Donna Taylor said. "She's my personal hero. With all she's been through, helping other people is very important to her and she has a very positive outlook."

Traci did not know her mother had submitted her name until Maxwell House officials called from New York for more information about Traci's Toy Train.

"I was very surprised," she said. "I didn't quite know what to say."

Traci was selected from thousands of entries received during this year's search.

Friday morning, Traci, her parents and her toy train will be flown to Washington, D.C., where she and the other "Real Heroes" will be taken on all-expense-paid tours of the city. They also will be guests of honor at a special awards dinner and will be featured in a special press conference during the course of the weekend.

"I want to meet the president," Traci said. "I'm really interested to find out what some of these other people did to be recognized."

Someday, Traci hopes to expand her Toy Train to other area hospitals and perhaps even statewide.

"We're taking things one step at a time right now," said Patrick Taylor. "We'll see how this works out, and then we'll move on."