Girl Celebrates Birthday by 'Paying it Forward'
When Zoe Kelly-Soldner was a patient at Lakeview Hospital, she was given a fleece blanket with polar bears on it that was made and donated by a volunteer. “I thought it was the most wonderful thing in the world for people to do that,” said Zoe. When she was planning her 11th birthday party, she knew exactly what she wanted to do. She told her mom, Erin Kelly, that she wanted to have her friends make blankets and donate them to the hospital. Zoe, her younger sister Molly, and her mom went out and bought enough fleece to make 9 blankets.
“When Zoe received her blanket as a patient, I know it meant a lot to her to receive it,” said Erin Kelly, Zoe’s mom. “I’m so proud of her because in the past the parties were about her. When she told me she wanted to do something else for other people, I thought it was pretty special.”
“Patients just love receiving these blankets,” said Deb Arcand, manager of Lakeview Hospital’s same day surgery. “When patients are told the blankets were made by volunteers, they are really touched.”
“Going to the hospital can be a stressful event, whether it is for a planned procedure or acute illness. One of our goals is to provide reassurance and emotional support in an attempt to relieve this anxiety,” shared Arcand. “We are fortunate when we have the opportunity to witness the positive impact on a child, teen or adult when they are greeted with a comforting blanket upon admission. When a child receives a blanket and smiles, the parent also relaxes and breathes a sigh of relief.”
The Lakeview Foundation estimates a need for 1,500 blankets per year. If you or your organization would like to partner with Lakeview Foundation to make blankets, or if you would like to donate fleece, yarn or funds to purchase these supplies, please contact Ruth at (651) 430-8731 or foundation@lakeview.org.
Photo – Shown with the blankets made at Zoe’s birthday party are (left to right) Olivia Hall, Zoe Kelly-Soldner, Erin Kelly, Molly Kelly-Soldner, Rebecca Scheel, and Deb Arcand.
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