DANVILLE, Pa. — Lunch was served on Thursday at a special celebration at Geisinger's Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Montour County. The children's hospital is marking its 29th birthday.
Carol Seigfried of Berwick knows what it's like being a young patient in the hospital.
"I was one of the kids before this beautiful part of the hospital was built in the hospital, with Dr. Rosen. I had my kidney removed," Seigfried recalled.
For the last seven years, Seigfried has given back to Geisinger through Scentsy, the company she works for. On this day, she donated 100 stuffed animals.
"They will keep them with them. They will cuddle them. Some will put their scent packs in; some will leave them out. But they're never left alone. They've always got a buddy no matter where they go."
Seigfried has donated nearly 5,000 stuffed animals over the last seven years.
"Maybe that child, they couldn't settle that child down, and they'd give him a buddy. The focus was on the buddy, not what was going on," Seigfried said.
"This means joy for children in the immediate with having these dolls, having other toys we can give out this time of year and all year round," said Glenn Birdernius, Geisinger Health Foundation.
Geisinger Child Life program manager Maggie Heimbuch says donations like this give children normalcy while in the hospital.
"This is how we cope through the hospital stay, by giving them some toys, giving them stuff to keep them busy or distract them," Heimbuch said.
The children's hospital gets a lot of donations in December. Geisinger says donations given during the holiday season will be distributed throughout the year.