AWESOME KID, ROSIE WESTERBECK, BRINGS CHEER TO HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN
When Rosie was in 1st grade, she ended up in Dayton Children’s Hospital, undergoing numerous tests, shots and scary medical procedures. From that moment on she knew this her condition was serious. But the thing that she remembered most about her stay at the hospital was the day she received a blanket. To strengthen her body, the nurses had her take daily walks. During one of her walks, she and her mom passed a group of child life specialists. One of those women asked her if she wanted a blanket, explaining that a lady from the community had sewn many blankets for patients just like her.
While being caught up in a lot of medical talk that she didn’t understand, and other harsh realities of the hospital, that blanket reminded Rosie of home and gave her a great deal of comfort. That blanket inspired Rosie to build her project, Rosie’s Red Wagon. Her goal was to provide that same sense of love and comfort to the next generation of young patients as she had received while hospitalized.
The International Duke of Edinburgh Award Program helped Rosie develop her project into a nonprofit. They set varied goals for participants, and for her service section she chose Rosie’s Red Wagon Campaign. With their guidance, her project quickly tripled, expanding to other schools, businesses, and hospitals! With each visit, a wagon rolls up to sick children’s bedsides, delivering goodies to put a smile on each of their faces.
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ROSIE’S RED WAGON IS NOW PUBLISHED IN:
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