Young patients receive support and positivity through Bottomless Toy Chest

TROY — The Bottomless Toy Chest provides toys, crafts and hands-on activities to hospitalized pediatric patients in different hospitals all over the country.

The Troy-based nonprofit has helped young patients at 26 hospitals throughout Michigan and other states with its mission to lift the spirits and promote a positive state of mind in young cancer patients and patients with serious blood disorders by providing them with engaging, empowering activities while they are going through treatment.

As a part of their programing, the nonprofit has inpatient and outpatient toy programs that bring toys to patients undergoing treatments or procedures.

“Many of our toys are new or unused donations,” Mickey Guisewite, the executive director of The Bottomless Toy Chest, said. “We serve newborns to 22-year-olds, and we also don’t get a lot of things we need, so we purchase to fill holes.”

Over 35,000 toys have been given to patients. All toys donated to The Bottomless Toy Chest are brand-new and wrapped in cellophane and ribbon, which keeps the items clean and visible for the kids when they pick their toys. The toys are wrapped by volunteers, many of whom come from different groups around the community.

The Bottomless Toy Chest also provides positive experiences for the young patients and their families. This includes their Red Carpet Movie Event, which occurred at the MJR Troy Cinema on July 20.

The event allowed kids and their families to walk the red carpet to the cheers of fans before seeing “Despicable Me 4.”

After the film, the attendees could enjoy a pizza party with crafts, face-painting, a photo booth, games, the presentation of Oscar awards, and a photo session with a professional photographer. Around 37 families attended, with over 150 guests total.

“This whole event is designed to help them feel like the stars they are,” Guisewite said. “It helps kids feel good about themselves during difficult times.”

Other programs that patients and their families can expect throughout the year from The Bottomless Toy Chest include their Tons of Toys holiday events, their Hospital Survivor Celebrations, Superhero Day, Toy-Tacular events, and Warehouse Fun Days.

According to Detroit Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Michigan Child Life Manager Maureen Stys, The Bottomless Toy Chest provides toys and items that the hospital teams share with patients admitted to the main hospital campus in Detroit, where many Troy patients are transferred. The gifts are provided to the patients while they’re in their hospital room, undergoing treatment or in a situation where a toy might make the situation less intimidating.

The program provides at least one toy for every hospital patient and their siblings, if they are at the hospital — typically about 300 toys, as well as toys that Child Life uses throughout the year.

“Being in the hospital is hard for lots of patients and families,” Stys said in an email. “Having a special event or gift supports them and provides distraction and diversion during a hospital admission – and it generally brightens their day.”

For ways to help, visit bottomlesstoychest.org.