There is probably no better charitable better known in Central Ohio than Nationwide Children’s Hospital. For years, Children’s has counted on people like Mindy Atwood to bring smiles to the faces of kids in the toughest situations.
Two of Atwood’s own children were diagnosed and treated with critical illnesses at Children’s. She knows firsthand how it feels to worry about financing life’s necessities – like utilities and rent – while focusing on the healthcare of a child.
That is why she started Patches of Light, an organization bringing awareness to the needs of families dealing with hospitalized kids across Ohio. The organization primarily assists families with groceries, past due utilities, gas cards, rent and mortgages, car payments, funeral costs and school supplies.
in addition to helping families financially, Patches of Light puts smiles on kids’ faces in the Hematology/
Bags,” including journals, books, videos, coloring books and crayons, stickers, and other items aimed to distract patients from their fight are delivered throughout the year.
A family’s note to Mindy reads: Thank you for the bag of goodies for our son. When he opened it, he smiled. We haven’t seen him smile in a long, long time.
“This child died during treatment,” says Atwood. “Yet, we were able to be there and bring a patch of light to the dark times they were going through.”
Atwood dreams of waking to find all children covered by insurance, their parents able to remain with them during treatments, and a cure discovered for diseases plaguing children.
“Any parent will tell you that the health of their child is a dream come true…especially a parent with a sick child.”
Learn more about Patches of Light at www.patchesoflight.org. ▪