Calming kids with teddy bears
Child life specialist Gina Lozito-Yorton, left, with Glenda and Fred Stowell, who create and donate stuffed animals to children at the Upstate Golisano Children‘s Hospital. (PHOTO BY KATHLEEN PAICE FROIO) photo by Kathleen Paice Froio
Today, the CNY Bear Team that the Stowells launched has donated more than 7,500 teddy bears, puppies and other stuffed animals. The organization donates about 1,600 stuffed animals per year for pediatric surgery patients and children in treatment for cancer.
“We make them look like nurses and doctors. They‘re wearing scrubs. They have a hat and face mask, and shirt and pants and two booties,” Stowell says, explaining that the scrub outfits are sewn by volunteers. Each takes about four hours to make. “The philosophy behind that was so kids wouldn‘t be afraid.”
Most of the CNY Bear Team critters are from 9 to 15 inches tall. “They‘re the cuddly size, the size of a baby.”
Stowell says she‘s always looking for more volunteers.
Her group also accepts donations of money, fabric or sewing machines.
Find CNY Bear Team on Facebook, or contact the Stowells at [email protected] or 315-298-5308.
This article appears in the spring 2018 issue of Upstate Health magazine.
