HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Christmas in the hospital is never easy for children and their families, but one Central Virginia mom is working to make the holidays a little brighter.
The sixth annual Kellan’s Legacy of Love Toy Drive is going on right now, and the goal is for every child at St. Mary's Hospital to receive something special even if they can’t be home for Christmas.
Donna Reynolds started the nonprofit in honor of her son Kellan who died in 2021 from a rare mitochondrial disease.
The goal was to help educate people about the disease, while also spreading joy to those who are receiving care at St. Mary’s, a place her son spent many months.
These toys also help restock pediatric units throughout the year for kids facing long hospital stays or emergency visits.
While the annual drive normally takes place just before Kellan’s birthday in January, this year, they moved it before the holidays because Reynolds says St. Mary’s is critically low on toys.
Reynolds also knows the impact these toys can have on families, as she spent three Christmases with Kellan in the hospital.
"It helped him be able to cope being in the hospital room because we weren't allowed to leave the room because of his immune system," she shared. "And it helped me be able to see him happy with the toys. It brought a little bit of relief."
Donations can be made through December 20. An Amazon wishlist of needed toys and a complete list of drop-off locations are available at https://kellanslegacyoflove.org/.
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