Legos for Hearts
Donation protected
Taking the advice of a special friend to collect some donations for a worthy cause. Lots of beautiful young ones spend the holidays in cardiac Intensive care and heart units. While their families come from various economic backgrounds they all face the same dilemma of bringing holiday joy and happy distractions to their children during this time. Even those that can afford it may not have the luxury of getting away from the hospital to procure gifts that will distract their young ones from the daily tribulations which make up hospital life. And many more cannot afford it. Providing gifts also allows the hospital staff to feel some relief, to allow them to bestow happiness in a setting that imposes great strain on the daily lives of children fighting for what should be a given, the chance to live. Xuanlin found happiness in each lego set, a distraction, another opportunity to be a child, another moment of happiness even as his heart and lungs failed him, even when the last hope of heart/double lung transplant slipped away against our will. Quality of life is essential at every stage for these young children's lives and their families. Every smile, every moment of just being a child is essential to that quality of life no matter if the child lives many months, years, days or passes. The opportunity to be a child playing and happy with the reassurance that no matter what they must endure or how much time they have is essential to their quality of life.
St Louis Children's Hospital is a place that combines medical innovation with a child/family centered approach. My son's cardiologist Mark Grady gave our family hope, as did many other physicians there. They put forward a good fight for all children with very complex conditions. Your donation no matter how small will go to providing children in the cardiac ICU unit and heart center a gift of lego themed toy/book presents (across gender and age) to bring a moment of hope and joy to the children, their families, nurses, and doctors, and a reminder that these young warriors are just children who want to play and be happy. They want to live beyond the tribulations they face with many more joyful moments to come. And for the families, nurses and doctors who face the pain of losing a child these gifts will capture the beauty, love, and joy that being a child who is fighting to live and be themselves represents in the simple act of play. There are no words to capture what it is like to see an innocent soul endure such pain or have to pass so young and with so much potential. But giving while these young ones have time to play and be a child can help them feel like themselves and can ensure quality of life no matter what stage they are in. Xuanlin built his last lego set hours before he left. I know it brought him peace. Because he was himself, a child playing. And his many structures and toys are tributes to his beautiful childhood and the joy that playing and being happy means. I know he wants to give back to the many children who are faced with cardiac and pulmonary conditions. This is not easy for me but I think of the many families we met and the tears of his nurses and doctors. And I know the best way to honor him is to share his love of play and give that back to the many children who face what he endured with such bravery while always staying true to his joyous child self.
St Louis Children's Hospital is a place that combines medical innovation with a child/family centered approach. My son's cardiologist Mark Grady gave our family hope, as did many other physicians there. They put forward a good fight for all children with very complex conditions. Your donation no matter how small will go to providing children in the cardiac ICU unit and heart center a gift of lego themed toy/book presents (across gender and age) to bring a moment of hope and joy to the children, their families, nurses, and doctors, and a reminder that these young warriors are just children who want to play and be happy. They want to live beyond the tribulations they face with many more joyful moments to come. And for the families, nurses and doctors who face the pain of losing a child these gifts will capture the beauty, love, and joy that being a child who is fighting to live and be themselves represents in the simple act of play. There are no words to capture what it is like to see an innocent soul endure such pain or have to pass so young and with so much potential. But giving while these young ones have time to play and be a child can help them feel like themselves and can ensure quality of life no matter what stage they are in. Xuanlin built his last lego set hours before he left. I know it brought him peace. Because he was himself, a child playing. And his many structures and toys are tributes to his beautiful childhood and the joy that playing and being happy means. I know he wants to give back to the many children who are faced with cardiac and pulmonary conditions. This is not easy for me but I think of the many families we met and the tears of his nurses and doctors. And I know the best way to honor him is to share his love of play and give that back to the many children who face what he endured with such bravery while always staying true to his joyous child self.
Organizer
Sarah Ballard
Organizer
Urbana, IL
