Yorkregion.com, February 22, 2012
This story appeared in the latest Heartbeat of our Community
Born with a genetic disorder, Zack Hamilton was a regular visitor to York Central Hospital. When he and his twin Jayden arrived on Sept. 21, 2007, doctors immediately diagnosed Zack with a congenital heart defect.
He spent the first few months of his life at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, where doctors repaired his heart and discovered a rare genetic disorder that is still unnamed and undiagnosed in any other child on record.
The disorder caused a host of physical ailments and developmental delays, including hearing and feeding issues and chronic pneumonia. This meant frequent stays at York Central during the winter months, says mom Heather Hamilton.
The nurses and doctors on the pediatric unit got to know the ins and outs of Zack’s complex medical condition, but also connected with the boy and his family on a more personal level, she says.
The nurses sang his favourite songs, brought toys their children had outgrown, accommodated family dinner nights and relieved Mrs. Hamilton so she could take time to shower.
“They took wonderful care of Zack,” she recalls “and great care of me too.” “He was a happy child,” says Mrs. Hamilton. “For all his obstacles, he was determined to get the most out of life.”
She describes his learning to climb stairs, his playfulness with his two brothers and a visit to Lionel’s Farm in Stouffville, when Zack, who couldn’t walk, steadied himself against the fence to feed and pet the animals.
Within days of Zack’s death in March 2011, Mrs. Hamilton received a call from
York Central.
The nurses who had cared for Zack knew the hospital was in the process of renovating children’s rooms and wanted to see one with a plaque bearing his name.
Immediately, Mrs. Hamilton agreed to lead the fundraising effort, but admits to feeling a little intimidated by the $25,000 price tag.
A plan was soon in place to make Zack’s Dream Room happen. With content provided by the family, the hospital foundation created a stand-alone website, linked to York Central’s, for the fundraising effort. It tells Zack’s story and features a video and many photos.
Mrs. Hamilton, who connects with hundreds of moms through Twitter and Facebook, began forwarding the link to her contacts, many of whom did the same. Social media exposure led to stories in traditional media such as CBC and the Liberal.
The donations began pouring in $25, $50 and $100 at a time. An event, hosted by Lionel’s Farm in June, brought in another $8,000. Soon, the fundraising team realized it could fund not one, but two rooms.
Tammy Bucci, major gifts officer at the foundation, says the site worked so well because people connected with the story and were able to quickly and easily contribute to the cause and receive a donation receipt.
“Zack’s is a very emotional and inspirational story,” she says. “It touched people on a personal level and their response was outstanding.”
“I’m amazed because it took a lot of people donating whatever they could to get to that goal,” Mrs. Hamilton says. “A lot of families wanted to support Zack and our family.”
An Elmo doll, actually bought as a Christmas gift for his brother, was Zack’s constant companion and a comfort during frequent medical procedures and hospital stays.
“Elmo and Zack were always together,” Mrs. Hamilton says, “that doll became like a sixth member of our family.”
Zack’s Dream Room will be decorated with an Elmo theme. Construction has begun and the room is expected to be complete in March.
To learn more about Zack Hamilton, visit Heather Hamilton’s blog at tjzmommy.blogspot.com. To learn more about the fundraising effort, visit zacksdreamroom.ychfoundation.ca.
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