THUNDER BAY — A Thunder Bay mom whose daughter has spent considerable time in the paediatric unit of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre wants to give back to the hospital by helping other children.
Olivia Letourneau has organized a toy drive for the paediatric unit.
She says the last time six-year-old Abigail was in the hospital, last month, she stayed there for a week.
A staff member told her "they were running low on toys, and on activities. Because there's been a really high caseload of sick kids this past year, they've basically stretched their budget as much as they can."
In an interview, Letourneau added "I know a lot of people give to Ronald McDonald House in Toronto, but I think it's [also] important to support our home town. We do frequent Sick Kids in London and Toronto, but I do think it's important to help here first."
"Abby's Halloween Toy Drive" is running through the month of October.
The central dropoff location is Alder & Ivy at 16 Cumberland St. S.
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre Foundation will arrange to have the toys picked up and taken to the hospital.
All donated items must be new, since children may be immunocompromised.
Needed items include stuffies, play-doh, decks of cards, card games (Uno, Skip-Bo, matching games), Hot Wheels, small Lego sets, plastic baby rattles, activity books, colouring books, markers, pencil crayons, Little People toys, dinosaur or other animal figure toys, under-100-piece puzzles, DVDs, painting canvas, acrylic paints, craft kits and journal books.
"You can get anything outside of that, too, as long as it's new and not used," Letourneau said.
She knows from personal experience that having activities and distractions available for children while they are in hospital can make a big difference.
"Your kid is stuck in isolation for 24 hours a day, not allowed to leave, can't go outside and play, so having the toys really helps to break up the day from just sitting on an iPad or something all day. It helps keep up their spirits."
The last day to drop off donations will be Oct. 29.
"We would love to see our friends, family and community come together for this very near-to-our-heart cause," Letourneau said in a Facebook post.
