Children who need to be hospitalized for a few days, weeks, or long-term face many difficulties, one of which is the loneliness and boredom of being in the same room with little distraction day after day. The magic of books can brighten the days of hundreds and thousands of seriously ill children and their families.

The CTSFI is launching a new project this 2022: the National Children’s Hospital Library for the children and families.

At present we are in the first stage of the project: collecting good quality (undamaged) books, fiction and non-fiction, appropriate for children with ages ranging from 0-18.

Once we have accumulated an adequate number of good quality age-appropriate books, we will work with the National Children’s Hospital to design an on-site library for mobile patients as well as a vibrant, mobile bookcase that can reach right up to a child’s bedside.

Children in hospitals are superheroes at the best of times but COVID-19 has posed an even greater challenge for children and their families. The anxiety, loneliness, distress, and fear that is often felt during ‘normal’ times has only been heightened during the pandemic. Books are one way that we can provide hope and cheer to our patients during these difficult times and beyond.

To donate books, we welcome drop offs at our foundation headquarters.