A woman who honors her son with an annual toy drive needs your help.She's facing a big challenge in fundraising because of the coronavirus pandemic.Tanya Kennedy Gill created the Christian Kennedy Graham Memorial Toy Drive as a way to continue her son's legacy. It's a gift for families at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, a place very close to her heart."We never felt like Christian was just a patient there," Gill said. "We always felt like he was so much more than that."Gill said the staff at Children's Hospital tried desperately to save her son's life seven years ago. Christian died from pediatric cancer at just 19 months old."Christian's birthday is in February," Gill said. "It's just a nice long celebration leading up to that point. It gives me a good focus. I can focus more on Christian's life and his legacy and his tenacity and his love and his spirit at a time that would otherwise be surrounded by grief."For five years, the fundraiser has been successful.Last year, it raised $18,000.“It continues to blow me away," Cincinnati Children's donor officer Sara Coyle said. "I never stop getting emotional about it. Getting to me them and help them and be a part of it, is a gift to me as well.”This year, donations are down because of COVID-19. But Tanya's mission remains."I feel like this is a way to hug people, by blessing them with these things, through toys and some of the essentials that they need," Gill said. "And, that's part of why we do this."You can check out an Amazon Wish List here.To make a monetary donation, click here. And, to learn more about donations to Cincinnati Children's Hospital, click here.
A woman who honors her son with an annual toy drive needs your help.
She's facing a big challenge in fundraising because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tanya Kennedy Gill created the Christian Kennedy Graham Memorial Toy Drive as a way to continue her son's legacy.
It's a gift for families at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, a place very close to her heart.
"We never felt like Christian was just a patient there," Gill said. "We always felt like he was so much more than that."
Gill said the staff at Children's Hospital tried desperately to save her son's life seven years ago.
Christian died from pediatric cancer at just 19 months old.
"Christian's birthday is in February," Gill said. "It's just a nice long celebration leading up to that point. It gives me a good focus. I can focus more on Christian's life and his legacy and his tenacity and his love and his spirit at a time that would otherwise be surrounded by grief."
For five years, the fundraiser has been successful.
Last year, it raised $18,000.
“It continues to blow me away," Cincinnati Children's donor officer Sara Coyle said. "I never stop getting emotional about it. Getting to me them and help them and be a part of it, is a gift to me as well.”
This year, donations are down because of COVID-19. But Tanya's mission remains.
"I feel like this is a way to hug people, by blessing them with these things, through toys and some of the essentials that they need," Gill said. "And, that's part of why we do this."
You can check out an Amazon Wish List here.
To make a monetary donation, click here.
And, to learn more about donations to Cincinnati Children's Hospital, click here.
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