Seven-year-old Hazel is putting her hands to work for the hospital that treated her for burns to her hands and torso. She sustained a serious burn injury on her family’s farm when she was a toddler and was rushed to Shriners Children’s Ohio.
“I was terrified of the pain she was in and how she was going to recover,” Hazel’s mother, Ashlee, recalled. “But the nurses comforted Hazel and also walked me through exactly what they were going to do to get her better.”
One of the ways the team distracted Hazel during her initial burn treatment was offering her toys and games. When Hazel learned that the toys are often provided by donors, she decided she wanted to contribute.
–Hazel, 7
“I want to help other kids and make them feel a little better,” Hazel said. That’s when Hazel’s Helping Hands, an annual holiday toy drive, was born. Over the last three years, Hazel has donated truckloads of toys to the child life departments of several hospitals.
“The toys donated by Hazel stock our child life department with gifts of all sizes,” explained Michelle Smith, CCLS, certified child life specialist at Shriners Children’s Ohio. “We understand the unique needs of our pediatric patients beyond their medical care, and gestures like these, especially from a fellow patient, have a powerful impact on helping a child feel comfortable and safe while at our hospital.”
When asked if Hazel plans to continue collecting toys she enthusiastically exclaimed, “Yes!”
