LEXINGTON, S.C. — One South Carolina non-profit is making a difference in the lives of kids who are patients at children's hospitals by providing toys and books to make their day a little brighter.
It can be a devastating feeling when you find out your child is sick.
Spenser and Karoline Fossell gave birth to their second child Luke just nine months ago in July.
Luke was born healthy but ten days later both parents noticed he was feeding poorly and his breathing was changing. They decided to then take Luke to a pediatrician.
"She ended up checking his oxygen levels and his oxygen levels were not the same between his hand and his foot so she sent us immediately to the emergency room," said Karoline.
After doctor's did an echo of Luke's heart, they discovered his heart function was not normal. The family then was transported to the children's hospital in Charleston. Doctors then determined Luke had heart failure.
After two days in Charleston, Luke was then placed on life support for 12 and a half days.
"From there, his heart slowly started to show improvement and they were able to stabilize him just on medication thankfully," explained Karoline. "After about 22 days, they were able to take the breathing tube out of him and we were able to hold him again."
After one more week at the hospital, the Fossell family were able to finally return home.
While at home, Luke was had a PICC line in his arm that gave him a continuous heart medication to help his heart to help stabilize him.
After Luke went back to the Charleston hospital in November to be tested, they were able to slowly get Luke off IV medication and just be on oral medication.
"Since November, we have been able to really treat him more like a normal baby. He is still in heart failure. He is still on the heart transplant list. He's still a sick little boy. He requires his medication daily. He takes seven different medications four times a day," said Karoline. "But he's just as happy as he can be and we are really thankful that we are able to just live our lives almost as normally as we possibly can with him."
While the Fossell family's world was turned upside down, they relied on family and community support to get through this situation.
One non-profit who was there for them was Happy Wheels.
Happy Wheels is a non-profit in South Carolina who delivers brand new toys and books to all in-patient children at all three children's hospitals in the state.
Tracey Rankin, the Executive Director of Happy Wheels, says they see about 350 kids a week.
"It started at the children's hospital in Charleston," said Rankin. "It was a hospital program at the time until we became a non-profit in 2012."
The 501c3 group has volunteers who take toy and book carts around the hospital to children who are receiving treatment.
"They knock on the doors of the kids, room to room, and if the kids are able, they come out and they get to pick their one favorite thing off the cart and it's theirs to keep and take home," explained Rankin.
Karoline, as a nurse herself, was able to see how Happy Wheels impacted the lives of children before the non-profit was there to support their family.
"I have been able for years to be able to see Happy Wheels come and knock on the kids' doors and just light up their whole faces when they get to see that they get to choose whatever toy that they want for that day and that they get to keep it. It truly, truly makes everybody just so happy when they roll up on the floor," said Karoline.
Once Luke was able to go to the step-down unit before he went back home, Happy Wheels provided him with a toy that he could hold for the first time after being sedated for almost a month.
Not only did Happy Wheels help Luke, but also Luke's two-year-old brother, Tucker. Spenser says it was something calming for the family.
"That was something that was huge. He was able to get something they were able to sit there and play and he would play and we would play," said Spenser. "It brought normalcy to that chaotic (time), and through that hour it was just normal."
Happy Wheels provides toys and books for kids from infants all the way to 18-years-old. They'll have toys for different age ranges with anything from rattles, toddler toys, board games, and arts and craft supplies.
Since the coronavirus pandemic has started, Happy Wheels hasn't been able to go into hospitals in order to help out hospitals and help limit the spread of the virus.
"Everybody's going through a strange time right now," said Karoline. "The spring is our fundraising time. We have three fundraisers planned over the months March, April and May. Our first two were cancelled due to (COVID-19). One cancelled, one postponed. We're super excited Midlands Gives is set up to be virtual so that it doesn't have to be postponed," said Rankin.
Rankin says the money raised through Midlands Gives will help provide funding for all three of their programs across the Palmetto State.
Last year, they were able to raise $11,000 for Happy Wheels. This year, they've set their goal for $9,000.
The non-profit averages $10 per gift per kid. With Happy Wheels seeing 350 kids per week, that means they need $3,500 a week to help make sure they can bring a smile to every kid's face they see.
"Your monetary gift is a tangible gift for Happy Wheels. We turn your $10 into a gift for a child," said Rankin.
The money you donate will help bring a smile to a child's face when they're going through one of the most difficult moments in their lives.
"When we tell them why we're there and they get a glimpse of the Happy Wheels cart, seeing the change happen in their face is absolutely the best moment ever," explained Rankin.
Not only would it help out a child, but also the parents as well.
"Happy Wheels focuses on the joy and the experience and the hospital for the children but the feedback that we get just as often is that it is such an encouragement for the moms and the dads and the grandparents and the caregivers that are there staying with the kids that it's just a moment of like joy."
Rankin went on to say, "It's not really hospital related where they can kind of step aside from the treatment and the things that go along with that and just be a family or just be a child or just be a grandparent helping their child pick out a toy for just those few moments."
To donate to Happy Wheels for Midlands Gives, click here.