CBC NEWS
May 10, 20182 min
Fabiana Bacchini, who had her son at Mount Sinai 6 years ago, organized the gift delivery
Jovita Howell, far right, will spend her first Mother's Day at Mount Sinai, but says the gift she got was a great surprise. (Grant Linton/CBC News)
This weekend is Mother's Day, and to celebrate a Grade 3 class from Etobicoke helped bring a little extra joy to some mothers who are going through a tough time.
On Wednesday afternoon, students from Kingsway College School delivered gift bags to moms whose babies are in Mount Sinai Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, where doctors care for sick babies.
"I had my son here six years ago and I know what its like to have an NICU baby," said Fabiana Bacchini, who organized the gift delivery.
The bags were decorated and filled with gifts for moms at Mount Sinai on Wednesday afternoon.
"It's very hard to have your baby and have your baby taken away from you'" she said.
"You don't really feel like a mom, so I think by bringing little gifts to mom, it isn't going to solve the problem, but I think it gives you a little bit of joy."
Bacchini says this is the first time she has organized a gift delivery ahead of Mother's Day, but she has done them for the past five years ahead of Christmas.
'It was a great surprise'
Spending her first Mother's Day in a hospital is not what new mom Jovita Howell expected.
"I'm excited for Mothers Day, but I just want to be able to hold [my baby] and feed him and do all of those normal things," she said.
Jovita Howell is one of the many moms who got a gift from the group of students from Kingsway College School. (Grant Linton/CBC News)
She says the gift bag helped.
"It was a great surprise. especially it being in here. It definitely brightens up your day a little bit."
'I wanted to help'
The bags were decorated and filled by the students. Some had gift cards, chocolate, hand lotion and handmade cards.
"I wanted to do this because I wanted to help Mount Sinai for the people who had premature babies," said Grade 3 student Justin Riekers, who decorated his bag with hearts and flowers.
Justin Riekers, a Grade 3 student at Kingsway College School, decorated his gift bag with hearts and flowers.(Grant Linton/CBC News)