Toy Drives At Oklahoma Children's Hospital Make A Big Difference

When kids are admitted to Oklahoma Children's Hospital it can be a scary time, but typically that’s where something as simple as a toy can make all the difference.

“We walk into a room and the kids are scared; the unknown is scarier than the known,” said Erin Bailey, Director of Child Life Integrative and Creative Care at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital.

Kids trying to make sense of illnesses, that most adults don’t understand. “We just want them to be kids, while they are here,” said Bailey.

And the best way to connect with the kids is with toys. “The moment we bring a developmentally appropriate toy their faces light up,” said Bailey. 

The hospital’s toy cart often provides that ice breaker to better care. “We can engage and build a rapport and relationships with our patients by just sitting and playing first,” said Bailey.

It’s a process Vivian Tran is very familiar with. “I had a lot of medical issues such as scoliosis and my esophagus was short four inches,” said Vivian Tran, started toy drive.

A lot of her childhood was spent at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital. “As I grew up and I overcame all of my medical problems, I wanted to start giving back,” said Tran.

In 2021 she started doing toy drives collecting toys for the toy cart that she once got toys from herself. “Share my story and make them feel loved. I know there’s a lot of times you have hardships when you go through all these medical problems,” said Tran.

For the over two hundred thousand patients being served by the hospital each year, the toys really do mean something. “I believe that I still have a bunch of the toys that I kept, still,” said Tran.

“Our volunteer services program runs solely off of community funding and support and donations every year. Just last year in November and December we gave out twelve thousand toys,” said Bailey. 

Tran sends a special message to the kids with every toy. “Although you are still going through these struggles, you matter and you are going to accomplish and overcome everything,” said Tran.

Sadly, the need for toys never ends, for information and ways to help visit Christmas in July - Campaign (ouhealth.com)