Before she was even two years old, Sophia became a warrior. Diagnosed with Leukemia, she fought bravely, and conquered the cruel beast. Sophia is now three years cancer-free, but that isn’t the end of her story.
The grade two student, along with her family and community volunteers, now chooses to spread kindness to other children who are sick and could use a dose of joy. Kids like my son.
Last month, my son was admitted to the hospital for a nasty case of pneumonia. While we are incredibly thankful he was sick with something that was treatable, and spent mere days in the hospital, unlike many of Sophia’s beneficiaries, it was a rough go, and we were all pretty miserable.
On our second day, a nurse walked in with a big box, labelled “Love Box”, and handed it to my unusually quiet and sullen boy. We were both caught by surprise and eager to see what was in it.
His eyes opened wide, lit with excitement, as he lifted the lid to discover a myriad of goodies. A Jenga game, a Maple Leafs hat, a cool water bottle, a chocolate advent calendar, a fidget spinner, and coolest of all, a Star Wars Lego set.
That was all the encouragement he needed. He hopped up in bed and immediately opened his new Lego set. At first, we just played together with the little Lego figures. It was the first time he had laughed since we had been admitted. It was a welcome change to the terror he had been exhibiting over needles and medicine. He was sick as a dog, but he was acting like a kid again, and it did my heart good.
For the rest of the day, he explored his new treasures. He was upbeat and happy, despite his surroundings. He had to be reminded to take it easy.
Over the next two days, he steadily improved and we were released. There is no doubt in my mind that Sophia’s Love Box played a big role in his recovery. Receiving it was a turning point for him. From that moment on, he focused on having fun, not feeling miserable, and his body took care of the rest.
While he explored the toys in the box, I looked for some indication of who could be responsible for this amazing gift. I was delighted to finding a postcard leading me to The Super Sophia Project. I put the card aside, determined to learn more about them once things settled down.
Photo credit: Super Sophia Facebook page
In exploring their Facebook page, I learned about Sophia’s amazing story, and also about the incredible work the organization does. In addition to blessing hundreds of children with these amazing boxes, they also provide personalized scrubs to kids who are experiencing hospital stays.
I had heard of organizations providing toys and gifts to kids in the hospital, and while I thought it was a nice gesture, I never guessed the impact it had until I saw the difference it made for my son. I have converted from touched by to being a huge advocate for these programs, Super Sophia Project in particular.
The Super Sophia Project is currently fundraising for their 2018 boxes. Please have a look at their Facebook page to see all the good they do, and if you are in a position to do so, please consider making a donation. It will mean more to a child than you can imagine.
And to sweet Sophia, may you continue to grow in kindness, and may you know that you are making the world more beautiful.
Tagged under: fundraising,sick child,donations,Super Sophia Project,love box,hospital programs,toys for sick kids
Category: family-life
