We are so grateful to our many donors this past holiday season who donated more than $450,000 worth of toys and gifts to support our Child Life program. The Child Life Program helps children cope with the challenges of being in the hospital through play, creativity and education. Our team of specialists work tirelessly to comfort and uplift young patients and their families through tests, procedures and hospitalizations. Because of charitable gifts, the program can ensure children still experience joy and hope, even during difficult times, by providing comforting toys and games, festive holiday activities and therapeutic sessions with trained specialists.
Our generous donors make a difference not only during the holidays but also throughout the year. Below are a few of their stories.
Andrew Family Foundation
For nearly three decades, the Andrew Family Foundation has partnered with Advocate Children’s Hospital – Oak Lawn to improve the lives of patients and their families.
“In 1996, we made our very first grant to help fund the development of the Child Life Department,” said Kathi Willett, a Managing Director of the Andrew Trust Company and Chair, Family Education and Communication. “We were inspired to do whatever we could to make the stays of sick children more comfortable and stress free. We saw the value of the role a Child Specialist placed in their healing even though the field was very new in the world of health care.”
The Foundation hopes to help ease the burden on families when their children are sick.
“We are so proud of the services we have helped the hospital provide, such as the Family Resource Center. We talk all the time about music therapy. Our son had a fellow student in his class in fourth grade who had heart surgery. Her mother told us the music therapist was the only one who could calm her down and help her find peace in the tough days following the surgery. We like to believe that so many things we do help patients and their families on the road to recovery and make a difference in big and small ways.”
With deep roots in Oak Lawn, Kathi believes it is important to support the hospital and the community through service to others.
“After 28 years, our hearts are filled with joy at the thought of how many people we’ve been able to help,” shared Kathi. “We can walk through the halls of the hospital and see so many ways we were able to step up and assist in making the patient stay more comfortable and assisting families facing tough times.”
Pink Warriors Foundation
When Shavon Parker’s daughter was just 4 months old, she spiked a very high fever. Shavon took her to the Emergency Department at Hope Children’s, which is now Advocate Children’s Hospital – Oak Lawn.
“From the moment she was admitted, the care we received was extraordinary. The doctors, nursing staff, patient care technicians and everyone else showed remarkable attentiveness and kindness,” said Shavon. “The doctors were relentless in finding the cause of her illness and developing a treatment plan to help her recover. We will always be deeply thankful for their dedication and compassion in caring for our daughter.”
Then, in October 2023, Shavon was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer. She received care at Advocate Christ Medical Center.
“Just like my daughter’s experience at Advocate Children’s years ago, my own experience was equally exceptional. Everyone I encountered was kind, warm and compassionate. I’ve always said that if I ever had the chance to give back to Advocate, I would take it, because Advocate has given so much to my family and me.”
Inspired by her cancer journey, Shavon founded the Pink Warriors Foundation to provide compassionate support to individuals and families affected by breast cancer. Each year, the organization also hosts a toy drive for pediatric patients at Advocate Children’s.
“We want to make a meaningful impact by bringing joy and comfort to the children and their families during challenging times, “said Shavon. “This initiative is about more than just donating toys. It’s about creating moments of happiness, spreading kindness, and letting the children know they are cared for and supported. Through this effort, we hope to brighten their days and contribute to a more uplifting environment during their stay at the hospital.”
Palos Park Episcopal Day Care and Learning Center
Each month, the Palos Park Episcopal Day Care and Learning Center participates in various service projects to support the community. In December, the school held a toy drive to support the Child Life Program at Advocate Children’s Hospital – Oak Lawn.
“Advocate Children’s has helped some of our own families during challenging times, and we believe it is important to give back and support other families dealing with hospital stays,” explained Stephanie Novak, director of the school.
The school’s staff and families were also inspired by two of their former students, who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.
“Even though they were not patients of Advocate Children’s, we wish to honor their memory by supporting other children facing similar challenges at a local hospital. We take comfort in knowing that our donations bring a little brightness to a child's day and help make their difficult moments a bit easier.”
Through their service projects, Stephanie hopes to inspire students.
“We believe it is essential to teach children the importance of giving back to the community from a young age, so they will carry these values throughout their lives,” said Stephanie. “By continuing our service program, we hope to inspire others to teach their children the same values.”
How you can help
You can make a difference for pediatric patients by making a gift today. You can also purchase toys and gifts from our Amazon wish lists.