Donations are already rolling in to support Ty and Tia’s Toy and PJ Drive for the BC Children’s Hospital.

If you’re new to this fundraiser, Kate Sangster shares her family’s store about bringing it to life.

In 2016, our son Ty was diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Ty is now a cancer survivor and wants to give back!

While living at the hospital, Ty gravitated to the child life program – a place that allow the children to just “be a kid” while undergoing treatment.

All donations go towards the child life program at the hospital.

The child life program team helps to create a fun environment through play, crafts, musical instruments, music and games. They also help the parents and the child before or after a procedure with stickers and toys for distractions and are heroes if your child is in isolation with low blood counts and can’t leave their hospital room for an extended amount of time. While in isolation they bring in activities and or toys to keep your child busy. They also fill the treasure chest which is in the oncology clinic, after the child’s appointment they can pick out something special.

Here’s how you can contribute!

• Drop off your empties, to the Pemberton Bottle Depot in the Industrial Park, to the fundraising account under “Super Ty’s Toy Drive.” All the funds will go towards purchasing toys and pyjamas for the toy drive.
• You can donate cash, via e-transfer. Email Kate at nexy_k@hotmail.com and Ty + Tia will go shopping for you!
• You could donate a gift card for families. (Starbucks is on the main floor and a Starbucks gift card gives parents a chance to go for a walk, step a way, grab a coffee.) Please reach out to Kate directly, and she can meet you to collect them.
• Drop off new unwrapped toys, pyjamas and slippers, sizes newborn to age 18. (No plush, please.) Donations are being collected at Leaning Cedar Therapy, the Pemberton Collective, The Great Glass Elevator Candy Shop, Black Tusk realty Squamish and the Howe Sound Secondary School.
• Toys that are most in need are: * Play Doh* Lego kits* Barbie * Hot wheels* Any vehicle car* Art kits * Craft kits* Paw patrol toys

The BIG drop off date will be Dec 10th , and the Sangsters are hopeful that they’ll be able to enter the hospital this year and set up a special room on the oncology floor and share the experience as kiddos come in and pick out their special toy or new pair of pyjamas.

Says Kate:

Our mission is to make all the sweeties at BC Children’s Hospital smile BIG this holiday season, to take some stress off the parents shoulders, to provide HOPE, to create a light, joyful space for the families and to bring lasting joy, as the toys and pyjamas will be handed out throughout the year as needed.

And you can play a part.