Judy Havird Brindel Loves Happy Wheels!

In 2005 my granddaughter was born premature in NC while my son was serving in the Marines in Iraq.  I went to NC for a baby shower and wound up with a 3 pound grandbaby being life-flighted to Chapel Hill to NICU.  The next 6 months were spent beside a basinet with a baby we could not hold that would fit in one hand.  The only people we saw were nurses and doctors.  It was a very lonely and stressful time.  Today I am happy to say we will see Elizabeth graduate next year and enter law school.  When the opportunity came in 2009 to volunteer with Happy Wheels I was ready.  This was my chance to give other families a different experience than we had.  This gives them and their child a chance to choose a toy instead of being told what was going to happen during their hospital stay.  I think that makes a big difference. 

One day, each week throughout the year, Happy Wheels volunteers make rounds to each inpatient room with a decorated surgical cart filled with brand new books and toys. Happy Wheels visits approximately 400 children weekly at all 3 children's hospitals in South Carolina. Each child gets to pick out one toy/book of their choice every week for the duration of their stay. They get to keep the gifts and take them home!  My goal will fund approximately 1 week of the cart.  Please help us continue to deliver those smiles we see each week when those carts roll in Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston.