Last wish: Spread Christmas cheer

Carpal tunnel syndrome couldn't stop Julie Robertson from crocheting hundreds of scarves and afghans for Iraqi refugees and Navajo Indians. And neither could cancer.

Even on her deathbed, the 51-year-old bipolar woman keeps giving. Instead of visiting tropical islands, she spent what friends and family believe will be her last Christmas giving away presents and stuffed stockings to other special needs people living at the Sugar House Care and Rehab Center Monday night.

With a Santa and Mrs. Claus in tow, Robertson went door to door at the center in her wheelchair along with carolers who are part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Special Needs Mutual program.

"Julie's here to give you a little bit of presents and love," said Santa, otherwise known as Dave Finch, a Special Needs adviser, in a booming voice as the group entered one room after another.

Her generosity touched friends and family members who sang, "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" and many other songs at the center.

Family members said Robertson has "had a rough life" but comes out smiling.

Just last September, Robertson was hit by a car and dragged underneath, breaking several bones. An X-ray scan discovered breast cancer lurking beneath and multiple other tumors that were too far advanced for medical treatment.

Yet she doesn't let that get her down.

On her last birthday, Robertson and family members dressed up as clowns and went to a restaurant to eat "in style," said Jody Keyes, one of her sisters, whom Robertson lived with up until July when she came to live at the center.

Besides clowning around, the Special Needs program helped her accomplish another wish to be a tooth fairy earlier this year.

"We dressed her up as a fairy, and my son, he had just lost his tooth. She got to give him a treat for his tooth," said Special Needs adviser Kathy Nelson. "He loved it."

Robertson also spent countless hours making scarves and afghans for family and those in need. Her sister Jody said that Robertson made them for all of her nieces and nephews, even for two who haven't been born yet, "just in case she goes before they're born."

"She doesn't see that as making a difference," Keyes said.

"She loves kids and babies — all of her nieces and nephews," said another of Robertson's sisters, Robanne Gordon, 49.

About 55 residents of the center, many of whom have family members who live too far away to spend Christmas with them, received presents and stockings with joyous expressions and surprise.

"It felt good," Robertson said. "I wanted to do something for my friends."

e-mail: lgroves@desnews.com