News
Local eighth grader donates more than 100 teddy bears to Emerson
(CONCORD, Mass., April 29, 2008)--Each time a child is hospitalized at Emerson Hospital, the pediatric intervention team, which is a multidisciplinary group that consists of two child life specialists, a child and adolescent psychiatric nurse, and a consulting child psychiatrist, aims to make the hospital experience easier for small patients. The services the team provides are based on the emotional and developmental needs of children from infancy to young adulthood. Through careful preparation and continuing support, the team aims to minimize a child's anxiety in the health care environment and promote opportunities for growth and mastery of the hospital experience.
The profound regard for the emotional health of a child is critical as pediatric patients navigate their way through the continuum of care. One of the innovative programs launched by the hospital’s pediatric intervention team is the coping kit, which provides pediatric patients with a collection of toys and books. “This is not just a bag of toys,” said Mallory Harrison, child life specialist on the pediatric intervention team at Emerson Hospital. “The kits help transform a daunting medical world into an environment that the child can understand and master. At Emerson, we care for both the physical and emotional needs of our pediatric patients.”
One of the items in the coping kit is a hand-sewn, hand-decorated, and stuffed flannel teddy bear. Many of these bears were made through a volunteer project at Emma’s Quilt Cupboard in Franklin, Mass. One of the volunteers participating in this sewing event was Anya Melesciuc, an eighth grader at King Philip Middle School in Norfolk, Mass.
Anya and her mother, Jeannie, attended the sewing event together. Anya enjoyed herself so much that she asked for a pattern so that she could make additional bears at home. During the next three months, she made a total of 102 bears.
Anya paid for all the fabric herself, and the stuffing was donated by the Haartz Corporation. Anya babysat four boys to earn money to buy the fabric. “I always thought that if I was in the hospital I would be upset—so I know if I was upset, I would enjoy having a teddy bear to make me feel better,” said Anya. “I wanted to make the stay of each child admitted to Emerson Hospital a little brighter and easier.”
Anya’s love of crafts dates back to age six when she began sewing. Today, she has her own sewing machine. At age nine, she sewed 200 baby bibs, potholders, and tissue covers and sold them in her neighborhood. All of the proceeds were donated to Toys for Tots.
Earlier this year, Christine Schuster, president and CEO of Emerson Hospital, presented Anya with a “Good Citizenship Award” in recognition of her accomplishment of sewing more than 100 bears to be used in coping kits.
“It is truly heartwarming to see a young lady so interested in helping others,” said Denise Haartz, president of Emerson Hospital’s Auxiliary. “We truly appreciate her donation and know that the children will enjoy receiving them.”