NORTHPORT, NY — The Chloe Belle Foundation, a Northport charity dedicated to bringing joy to children and young adults fighting cancer, announced its annual holiday toy drive. And it’s bigger and better than ever this year, as the foundation chose two hospitals for gift and toy donations.
All toys and crafts purchased off this Amazon wishlist will go to those fighting cancer in the pediatric wards of New York-Presbyterian’s Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital and Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children’s Health. The deadline to purchase toys is Dec. 13.
When someone is diagnosed with a serious illness, it causes financial stress on a family and takes a physical, mental and emotional toll, said Remi Lindberg, president of The Chloe Belle Foundation. The foundation was created in honor of Chloe Lindberg, a Northport resident who was only 26 when she died of acute myeloid leukemia in January 2021. She fought the cancer for 13 months after she was diagnosed at age 25.
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“Your world is turned upside down and purchasing gifts is usually the last thing on people’s minds,” Remi, Chloe’s big sister, told Patch. “Usually, in terms of cancer specifically, you are hospitalized for weeks and months at a time.”
Remi, who cared for Chloe during her battle with acute myeloid leukemia, said caretakers at a cancer patient’s bedside struggle to find time to go out and buy gifts.
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“Your donation eases this stress for parents and caretakers who have a sick child in the hospital,” she said. “Even though they are in the hospital, children still wish and want the magic of the holidays.”
Click here to learn more about The Chloe Belle Foundation through a Q&A.
Children’s hospitals usually have patients up to 21 years old, and sometimes older.
“For young adults, there are some cases where more stress is on themselves rather than on a family unit,” Remi said. “They may be alone a lot or not have anyone to come celebrate. Gift cards are the best donations for young adults. They may have to drive themselves to appointments and need gas money or in general not have extra spending money due to hospital bills and/or not working. There are so many stressors on people who are sick.”
The holidays, Remi said, are an “incredible time” filled with family, love, food and music. People look forward to holidays all year long. However, being hospitalized during the holiday season can be “very depressing,” she said.
“For cancer patients, you yearn for the time ‘before cancer’ where life felt lighter and for your old life where you weren’t sick. As a family member watching my loved one go through it, I remember every day opening my eyes upon waking up and wishing it was a nightmare. For someone with terminal cancer, like my sister, this feeling is magnetized. Any moment to take away this feeling is cherished.”
Chloe was diagnosed with leukemia in December 2020 — mere weeks before Christmas.
“Although she mostly hid it from us, I knew that she was experiencing this immense sadness,” Remi said. “Little things like a gift from someone were small moments of happiness that are worth the world. If you have the means to donate a toy or item, it is an easy and small thing to do on your part that will be a big thing on the receiver’s end.”
Cancer is scary and lonely for anyone facing it, Remi said.
“It makes me sad to say but not everyone is lucky enough to have a good and loving support system. A gift is a reminder that someone is thinking of you. Gifts make us feel loved and appreciated. At the surface level, it simply makes you happy!”
Happiness and joy are needed everywhere but even more so in a hospital setting, Remi said. It’s difficult, she said, for patients to be stuck in a little room. The toys give them something to focus on and enjoy.
“Some of these gifts are vital to people in helping them through the pain and emotional hardships of cancer,” she said. “Items such as comfort stuffed animals, meditation books, and even earphones to listen to music. I want to say kids love toys and presents, and they do, but we all have that same kid inside of us at any age who gets excited when we’re given a gift.”
Last year’s holiday toy drive was a success because of the foundation’s “incredible donors,” the president said.
This year, The Chloe Belle Foundation is partnering with more local businesses and nonprofits this year and is expecting “even more” toys, so it added a second hospital to the collection. The Lindberg family hopes to provide presents to more children, young adults and families than ever. The Amazon wishlist specifies which hospital is receiving a certain gift.
“Even if we don’t have as many items as last year, I think it will still be great to reach a wider demographic,” Remi said.
One hospital has more teenagers/young adults while the other has more children, according to Remi.
“The child life team at the hospital with a wider population of teenagers/young adults informed me that they receive the least amount of donations for these ages,” she said. “We get such a large mix of items so why not cater to everyone by choosing both hospitals as the recipients this year? That way, everyone is able to get a gift!”
The Chloe Belle Foundation, since its inception, has held a variety of fundraisers, toy drives, and events, all with the goal of bringing joy to children and young adults fighting cancer.
“I just want to thank everyone who supports us in all of our endeavors,” Remi said. “You help so many other people and you do it in Chloe’s name, to honor her. And for that, we can never fully express our gratitude.”
Remi has spent time connecting with Chloe’s old friends. One told Remi a story about the time she was in high school gym class with Chloe.
“They were running the mile and Chloe had finished and noticed she wasn’t done yet,” Remi said. “Chloe went back with her to encourage her to finish and so she had someone. She said Chloe was so sweet and motivating and no one else would have done what Chloe did to make her feel better about it.”
That was one of many stories Remi heard from Chloe’s friends.
“Stories of how Chloe befriended people when they were at their lowest, how she never judged – stories of her vast kindness and compassion. Thank you, by the way, to all of Chloe’s friends and acquaintances who shared these stories with me. I am forever grateful and I cherish them daily. This is literally who my sister was. There is no one better to represent the work of a nonprofit and be the face of charitable works. But, it is everyone who donates and supports us who makes it happen. It means everything to us.”
You can follow The Chloe Belle Foundation on Instagram here.
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