A Gift of Hope
For 10 years, the Christian Kennedy Memorial Toy Drive has offered moments of levity, fun, and connection for children and families facing their darkest hours in the hospital.
Christian Kennedy Memorial Toy Drive
Find out more about the toy drive at the links.
Financial Donations: Support the larger purchases and hospital needs via the GoFundMe Page.
Toy Donations: Shop directly from the Amazon Wish List to have items sent straight to the drive.
“We lost our sweet, precious baby boy to pediatric cancer at just 19 months old,” say Tanya Kennedy Gill, Christian’s mother. “He was born with a condition called giant congenital melanocytic nevus and developed malignant melanoma in his nevus as a result.”
Inspired by the incredible life of Christian – a boy defined by his sweetness, his tenacity, major love for Skyline Chili, and a bravery that outshone his suffering – the annual toy drive aims to do one thing: spread light and love to kids who are fighting just like he did.
Despite a decade of success, this has been the slowest year on record. With a goal of 600 toys to support local children fighting cancer, the drive has currently only received about 75 donations.
Today, Christian’s family continues his legacy by trying to provide “hope, if only for a little while” to patients and parents at Cincinnati Children’s and through the Dragonfly Foundation.
The needs this year are significant. Beyond traditional toys, the drive is working to fund “big ticket” items that provide genuine therapeutic value and joy, including
Music Therapy: A guitar and drum kit for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Mobility & Play: A riding Jeep for the Dragonfly Foundation and a Melissa & Doug kitchen set.
Connection: Nintendo Switch games and consoles for older children.
The “Spot” Dogs: A signature part of the drive, these precious plush dogs can be sponsored for $33 each to provide comfort to a child in a hospital bed.
Support for Parents: Gift cards for gas, groceries, and restaurants to help families manage the hidden costs of long hospital stays.
“My family and I consider it an honor and privilege to give to other little ones who are struggling and fighting big battles like our sweet baby did,” says Kennedy Gill. “We know firsthand how hard it is to be isolated from the outside world and for these children to be separated from everything they know and love. So, our hope is to bring a little bit of light, love, and hope to their faces through the gifting we do.”
Christian’s life was a testament to bravery and th annual toy drive honors that bravery by ensuring no child spends their days feeling forgotten.