North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Youngster helps children in hospital
A 10-year-old on a mission to help children less fortunate than her, has been blown away by support from her schoolmates.
Gabriella Dew, from Oteha Valley Primary School, was the instigator and organiser of ‘‘Project Pyjamas’’ for kids in hospital.
She convinced her schoolmates to donate pyjamas, warm clothing, toys, books and new toothbrushes for the Rangatira Ward at Waitakere Hospital, the main paediatric ward for north and west Auckland.
Gabriella also organised a fullschool mufti day, raising $720 in donations, which Waitemata DHB’s fundraising arm, the Well Foundation, will use on the ward.
The charitable 10-year-old said the cause was well supported.
‘‘Something happened that never, ever happens after a mufti day: people brought their gold coin donation the day after, if they had forgotten to bring it the day before,’’ she said.
‘‘It was just so great to see everyone chipping in to provide for kids they know don’t have as much as us, or weren’t having a good time.’’
Boxes and boxes of new and good-quality items were also donated: an almost overwhelming amount, said Gabriella’s mother, Georgina.
‘‘It’s really amazing. The whole school really embraced the project; it was a beautiful opportunity for people to give a little.’’
Gabriella said she was inspired to help after reading Auggie and Me, a novel by RJ Palacio, where a group of schoolchildren run a coat drive for the homeless.
Her mother, who works at Waitakere and North Shore Hospitals as a cardiac sonographer, wondered if the children’s ward would be interested in donations.
The two came up with a plan one day when Gabriella was home sick from school, and the proposal was accepted by her teacher Deanne Wotton and principal Rose Neal.
Well Foundation spokeswoman Althea Lovell said donations of pyjamas, blankets, toothbrushes and toothpaste were especially useful for children admitted with respiratory illnesses due to the cold weather.
‘‘A number of these children are living in cold, damp and overcrowded homes, so a pair of warm pyjamas makes the world of difference in keeping them warm and healthy over the winter months.’’
Gabriella plans to keep up helping children and was thinking about becoming a teacher.