BATAVIA, Ill. — Mary Ann Gee, 73, reached a personal milestone the first Monday in December after receiving her final chemotherapy treatment for pancreatic cancer.

It was celebrated with a home-baked loaf of zucchini bread along with a note taped to it, congratulating her on her final treatment.

“There is a woman that works here at the Advocate Dreyer Highland facility whose daughter bakes bread every week for the patients,” Gee said. “Most kids her age are texting and involved with their friends, but every Sunday she bakes banana or zucchini bread, and it’s here Monday for the patients and caregivers to enjoy.”

The home baker, whom Gee and others have never met, is 14-year-old Batavia resident Autumn Gunnell, who has a twin sister with another seasonal name: Summer. Their mother, Carol Gunnell, has worked with Advocate for six years doing patient registration. She said Autumn’s baking kick began last summer after seeing that a bunch of bananas were going bad.

“Autumn has been taking food classes the last couple years in middle school, and she loves to cook and bake,” Carol explained. “She’s got a big heart and is very sensitive, and decided to bake with whatever extra stuff we had around the house. She’s made a couple dozen loaves by now and has done this on her own — I’ve had nothing to do with it.”

When bananas weren’t around, a bounty of summer zucchini led to making a second type of bread, based on recipes Autumn said she found on Pinterest.

“I have been taking food classes and like to bake bread for the fun of it,” she said. “My mom suggested that maybe I make some for the patients at the oncology office. I’ve not met any of them, but I feel good about this. I feel I know the people eating the bread I made, and that there is a connection.”

Laura Waldoch, a nurse practitioner at Advocate Medical Group West Oncology, said the youngster’s baking efforts “have touched me” and as a mother of six children herself, she realizes how unique Autumn is.

“Kids normally aren’t that altruistic at her age, and it means a lot being that kind to someone else,” Waldoch said. “Patients that come here have reached a pretty dim point in their lives and typically aren’t treated like that — having something homemade for them. When they see the bread, it always brings a smile.”

Gee agreed that Autumn is someone special.

“This has really touched me and is something that didn’t have to be done. Someone went out of her way to make others feel better,” she said. “My treatments are over, and hopefully I’m fine. At my age, every day is a great day. But this girl is unusual.”