Lifting spirits
Nonprofit hosts stuffed toy-building event at mall
Daniel Peters squeezed black shoes onto the white feet of Olaf, the snowman from “Frozen,” to complete the stuffed doll’s military transformation.
The 16-year-old Oakland Park resident, who was born with dysplastic kidneys, started dialysis four months ago when renal failure set in just after his birthday.
Peters was one of about 60 youngsters who are either on dialysis, on a transplant list or had an organ transplant who were recently invited by the nonprofit Kids Needing Kidneys to make a cuddly friend at Build-A-Bear in the Pembroke Lakes Mall in Pembroke Pines.
“It’s fun and it gives us something else to think about,” Peters said.
Nonprofit founder Laura Kowalczyk invited patients from Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Holtz Children’s Hospital and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to the event. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of her kidney transplant at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Kowalczyk was inspired to start the organization eight years ago by a 6-year-old girl.
Dyman Hicks was on dialysis when she met Kowalczyk, who was
drawn to the girl’s sunny attitude and bright smile. After Hicks’ first kidney transplant was rejected, Kowalczyk wanted to give her a “fun day” by treating her to an animal at Build-A-Bear.
Seeing how happy Hicks was with her new friend prompted Kowalczyk to try to help more children.
“The kids sleep with them every night. They bring them to dialysis,” Kowalczyk said. “It brings them comfort.”
Now 14, Hicks received a new transplant in March 2014.
“These kids are going through something as terrible as I was,” she said. “But it’s a comfort to make a bear and name it, to take it to the doctor or hospital and not be scared.”
Deanna Anderson, 20 months, threw her sparkly white bear on the floor in between trying to explore the store.
She was born with biliary atresia, which blocks the liver’s bile ducts, causing cirrhosis. The condition required a liver transplant when Deanna was 7 months old.
“This is the first year she’s able to do things, and it’s all thanks to her donor,” said her mother, Heidi. “This (event) is so important. These kids go through so much.”
For more information, visit Kidsneedingkidneys.com.