LCBO’s Annual Holiday campaign helps kids find joy and holiday cheer, even in difficult times.
When her stomach pain and nausea just wouldn’t end, a simple blood test turned Marah’s world upside down.
Diagnosed with Leukemia, Marah’s doctors advised that she and her family rush to Children’s Hospital right away. Overnight, Marah and her family went from their own comfy beds to sleeping in a hospital room, facing COVID-19 protocols and talking about chemotherapy.
At Children’s Hospital, Marah’s diagnosis didn’t just mean needle pokes, testing and treatments, it meant becoming part of a whole new community.
Throughout their five-and-a-half-month hospital journey – during COVID- 19 – Marah and her family recorded her entire experience in a workbook.
They tracked every medication, procedure and person they encountered each day. From the nurses who step-danced with Marah in the hallway, to each mischievous prank she pulled with Ollie the Therapeutic Clown and of course every guitar cover she learned and recorded onto her own keepsake CD with Karina the Music Therapist – Children’s was jam packed with people who brought Marah happiness and cheer.
“When we look back on our time at Children’s Hospital, if you wrote a list of the good and the bad, there were way more good, fun and happy times as opposed to the bad. Bad days during treatments are really bad, but there was fun and laughter every single day,” recounts Marah’s mom, Lee Anne.
Check out this short video of Marah spreading cheer in Children’s Hospital
Supporters like LCBO make these special moments possible. LCBO’s annual holiday campaign, like this year’s Good Cheer When It Matters Most, ensures that kids like Marah have all their healthcare needs met – so that they can focus on just being kids.
For nearly two decades, your donations at LCBO have raised a lifetime total of more than $4.2 million to make sure kids like Marah have access to life-saving care and life-enriching programs that make difficult times a little easier.
Gifts that go towards programs like Child Life and Family Assistance have an impact beyond words. For Marah, the Child Life program meant that Melissa was always there to make her laugh. Whether it was during board games, or when Marah named her IV pole and Melissa joked around with the “both” of them.
These days, when Marah thinks back on her hospital journey, she doesn’t focus so much on chemo and needles, “That first week, being in hospital didn’t feel real, but the support from everyone – nurses and doctors to Melissa, Ollie and Karina – really helped me through. They explained every medical term in words I would know, answered my questions and helped me with anything I needed. This whole team of amazing people helped me get through,” describes Marah.
This year, you can join LCBO and spread holiday cheer with Good Cheer When It Matters Most. Simply donate right at an LCBO register to help kids and their families find comfort and joy, even in hospital.
