SickKids kid Tommaso gives back
As his classmates gathered together to set out on their Walk-a-thon for SickKids, Tommaso felt incredibly proud and happy. Being a SickKids patient since the day he was born, Tommaso had organized this Walk-a-thon because he wanted to give back to the hospital that had helped him by raising money to help other kids who may need SickKids one day.“To encourage my classmates to get involved, I made a presentation in front of the whole school about my SickKids journey,” said Tommaso. “I explained why SickKids was a special place for me and why it was so important to give back.”
“It really is difficult to put into words how we felt when the doctors told us our newborn son had a severe heart defect,” said Linda. “My husband and I were first-time parents and instantly fell in love with our newborn baby. It was terrifying to hear the news.”
At 7 ½ months old, Tommaso required a heart transplant. Throughout it all, Linda and her husband were grateful for the support of their friends and family during this trying time, as well as the care and kindness the doctors and nurses showed to the family.
Today, Tommaso is a happy and active 10-year-old who has an abundance of energy, a passion for soccer and floor hockey, a love of school and learning and a desire to help others.
"It makes us so proud that Tommaso wants to help other children by raising funds for SickKids.”
“Tommaso is so happy to be part of the SickKids family,” said Linda. “He understands the importance of SickKids and how many children and families that it helps. It makes us so proud that he wants to help other children by raising funds for SickKids.”
When the Walk-a-thon ended and the donations were tallied, Tommaso couldn’t believe how much his classmates had helped him to raise.
“When I came up with the idea of doing a Walk-a-thon, my goal was to raise $1,000,” said Tommaso. “With the help of my classmates, the total raised for SickKids was $7,800. I felt so proud. Since then, kids from my school have written me letters and told me that I have inspired them to fundraise as well.”
On the 10th anniversary of receiving a new heart, Tommaso arrived at the hospital to present his $7,800 donation to SickKids.
When asked if he has any tips for kids who want to get started with fundraising, Tommaso’s advice is simple and straight-forward. “Follow your dreams and goals. Find out what is important to you and make a plan of how much you want to raise.”
