CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is asking for your help to bring smiles to kids in the hospital who can't spend Valentine's Day with classmates, friends and loved ones.
From now until Friday, February 14, you can send a free digital Valentine's Day card to kids at the hospital. The idea came about in 2014 when a staff member asked if the community could bring paper cards. They later decided to move it online, with over 1.4 million participants from all over the world.
"On the back of each card is a game," said Liz Smith, Director of Annual Giving at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. "So it gives them an activity to do the day they receive the cards. Then, we also have a partner, Kolar, who helped us with the design of the cards, so if someone would like to donate to Cincinnati Children's, they also provided a $20,000 match."
Kolar also worked with local artists to create each card design. Children's Hospital said the cards bring a lot of joy to the children and their families knowing they are being thought of.
A team that helps make sure patients have the supplies they need to deliver the cards. Once they get the online information they provide the first name on the card and print them at the hospital.
If you would like to participate or donate. You can visit the link here.
"Days at the hopsital can just be long for them, and they miss their friends and want to be a part of things that they're used to doing. So, by bringing them joy, it means so much to them and their famililes," said Smith.
Norton Children's Hopsital in Louisville, Kentucky serves children across Kentucky and Southern Indiana. It's 'SendAFreind' campaign for Valentine's Day is until Monday, February 10. Patients and out patient children can receive a Valentine's Day card with a heartfelt message and a stuffed animal.
In honor of American Heart Month, $2 from each purchase will be donated to the Norton Children's Hospital Foundation to support patients and staff at Norton Children's Heart Institute.
"All of our patients at our Norton Children's Hospital, Norton Children;s Medical Center, Norton Women and Children;s, even some of our outpatient kids who are coming in for appointments on Valentine's Day, all receive Valentine's Day cards and a stuffed animal," said Lena Iwu, Norton Children's Hospital.
In previous years, Norton Children's also recieved cards from people across the states. Last year, the hopsital receieved more than 2,600 valentine's cards and more than 1,700 stuffed animals raising more than $10,000. Lena Iwu at Norton Children's Hospital daughter was in the cardiac intensive care unit four years ago during COVID and Valentine's Day. She say's her daughter now carries her stuffed animal to every hospital visit.
"We had been in the hospital for a long time, and it was during COVID, It was a really difficult time. That stuffed animal was such a highlight," said Iwu.
If you would like to participate in Norton Children's Hospital campaign, you can click thelink here.
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