Every year on the anniversary of Colin’s death, Colin’s Joy Project sponsors a “Giving Week” for Boston Medical Center’s Child Life Group. This year, Giving Week will happen from July 20th to the 27th. BMC’s Child Life Group puts together an Amazon Wish List of items that they need in order to support children and families in the same way that they supported the McGrath family after the tragic accident that injured their daughter, Sloane, and that took Colin’s life on July 25th of 2018, just before his third birthday. Read on to learn more about BMC’s Child Life Group, the Giving Week, and how you can stay connected to the mission of Colin’s Joy Project: Live Each Day with Pure Joy in Your Heart.
Boston Medical Center
Boston Medical Center’s Child Life Group was instrumental in supporting the McGrath family in the wake of the accident, and they’ve continued to support countless children and families cope with some of the worst days of their lives.
They are a small team that accomplishes big things; they work hard to ensure that the children who are treated at BMC are more than just information on a chart - they’re kids. They work in a variety of hospital departments, from the ER and ambulatory care to radiology, inpatient care and the OR. No matter what department a child is in, or what stage they’re at in their care, a Child Life Specialist is there to help guide them through it. Click here to learn more about this special group of people.
The Child Life Group specifically helped the McGrath family by supporting them during Sloane’s recovery. They gave them the tools to talk to her about her brother’s death, and to begin their own grieving process. They helped Sloane learn to walk and play again, and eased the McGrath’s back into play in the hospital once Sloane was ready, with things like wagon rides, books, games, crafts, nail polish, etc. They helped the entire family transition from the hospital into the outside world and begin to navigate life without Colin.
About Giving Week
As we mentioned before, the Child Life Group is small, and so is their budget. They do incredible things with very few resources, and so Colin’s Joy Project supports them in any way they can so that they can continue their important work. In addition to sharing their Amazon Wish List, CJP donates $3k every year for supplies and other resources. This money was incredibly valuable during the Covid-19 pandemic.
What started as a way to do something productive in the wake of the accident has transitioned into something that the McGrath family feels deeply connected to: helping others. What better way to spread joy in Colin’s name than to support other children and families who need it most?
Click here to learn more about how CJP has helped the Child Life Group in years past.
How You Can Help
There are a few ways you can help the Child Life Group as well as to further the mission of Colin’s Joy Project.
Click here to view the Amazon Wish List put together for BMC. Any donation is appreciated; nothing is too big or too small! 100% of the items purchased will be used to help a family cared for by the BMC Child Life Group. Please note, for shipping address, please use “Boston Medical Center - Child Life Organization, 1 BMC Place, Dowling 6 South, Rm 6102B, Boston, MA, 02118, United States”. Please include your name and address so that we may send a "Thank You" note.” Tax ID #04-3314093
Donate funds here! If you would prefer to donate directly to Colin’s Joy Project, you can do so via the link provided. As mentioned, CJP donates $3k every year in addition to the items purchased from the Wish List, so by donating money you are directly supporting the Child Life Group as well as Colin’s Joy Project’s other community partners.
The members of BMC’s Child Life Group
Stay tuned to learn more about how you can spread joy!