ONE GOOD THING

Hospitals, volunteers combine to ease isolation of sick kids

What kind of tree can you carry in your hand? Which letter of the alphabet has the most water?

Sarah Schneider’s grandmother, Estelle Slon, is full of riddles, and she shares them in emails to sick children forced into isolation as they undergo treatment for cancer, blood disorders and other dire illnesses.

Fifteen-year-old Sarah in Maplewood, New Jersey, thought up the idea in a Zoom session with her school’s social justice club after they were sent home for remote learning in the coronavirus crisis.

They decided to focus on kids undergoing prolonged medical treatment who are doing without their regular visitors and activities. Sarah’s mom connected them to The Valerie Fund, which operates pediatric treatment centers free of charge in five hospitals, primarily in New Jersey.

“I wanted them to know they’re not alone,” Sarah said.

Sarah consulted with Valerie Fund staff to advise her growing team of pen pals on what to write, so as not to offend on religious grounds or offer undue hope. She attaches funny animal photos and memes.

Jill Chhowalla is grateful. Her 8-year-old daughter, Sophie, is among Sarah’s recipients. The third grader was diagnosed in November with an advanced, rare form of cancer.

She has begun chemotherapy, which requires an overnight hospital stay every three weeks. She wasn’t able to attend school before the coronavirus pandemic hit but had been participating through a “telepresence” robot which allowed her to learn alongside her classmates.

While nonstop global news about the effects of the coronavirus has become commonplace, so, too, are the stories about the kindness of strangers and individuals who have sacrificed for others. “One Good Thing” is an AP continuing series reflecting these acts of kindness.

The Associated Press KIDS: Cancer patient Sophie Chhowalla, 8, reads an uplifting note from stranger Sarah Schneider while resting at her home on April 1, in Berkeley, N.J. Schneider began writing encouraging emails and sharing riddles with children undergoing treatment for dire illnesses after people and organizations began quarantining due to the coronavirus pandemic. "I wanted them to know they're not alone," said Schneider.