7-year-old donates presents

For the second year in a row, Nicholas D’Souza, 7, decided to donate his birthday presents to help other children.

This month, Nicholas gave every present he received at his seventh birthday party to Children’s Mercy Hospital.

“Since I have so many toys at home I don’t really need all of those presents,” Nicholas said.

On Dec. 14, Nicholas and his mother, Melody D’Souza, delivered three large bags full of stuffed animals, wooden blocks and toy cars to the hospital.

Each child, 24 in all, who attended Nicholas’ Pokemon-themed birthday party donated a gift.

Nicholas handed the donation to a security guard at the hospital the day after his party. Though he has never seen a child he has given a present to, he said he hopes they enjoy the presents.

“I would ask them ‘how are you feeling now?” Nicholas said. “I want to help them feel better.”

Last year, Nicholas, a student at Liberty View Elementary School, 14800 Greenwood, Olathe, ended up with some gifts and toys that duplicated what he already owned.

On his own he asked his mother, “Why don’t we donate to Children’s Mercy?”

Nicholas had been to Children’s Mercy to have tests run, Melody said.

Nicholas also asked his parents to donate to the World Wildlife Fund to “save the kangaroos” for a Christmas gift this year, she said.

“We are so proud of him,” Melody said. “We feel so blessed to have a child who is very concerned about other people’s feelings. He was so excited to do this and to take them up there and we felt so proud.”

Children’s Mercy uses donated gifts for a variety of purposes throughout the year, said Nikki Stang, Child Life Specialist.

Patients receive toys on their birthday or if they undergo a painful procedure. Some donated toys are placed in playrooms that are open 24 hours a day. They are used as prizes in weekly bingo games.

Sometimes toys are handed to children at bedside or to siblings of children who are sick to help them cope.

“Toys are a way for kids to have a more normal experience and feel more comfortable in the hospital,” Stang said.

“They often make them feel better and happier and we depend on the community a lot for those.”

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