U of A team begins packing ‘Halfway to the Holidays’ gifts for pediatric cancer patients

Volunteers spent the weekend before Canada Day preparing Christmas gifts for kids at the Stollery Children's Hospital.

The holidays are coming early for kids at the Stollery Children’s Hospital.

‘Halfway to the Holidays’ is an initiative put on by the The Coda Foundation to distribute gifts to pediatric patients 18 and under. Patients will get their gift bags on July 15.

On Saturday, volunteers were packing gifts in preparation for the day in order to get ahead of strict patient bedside distribution numbers.

It’s the fourth iteration of the event formerly known as ‘Christmas in July,’ and the first year The Coda Foundation’s University of Alberta team has brought it to Edmonton.

The foundation was formed at McGill University in Montreal seven years ago by resident doctors looking to support cancer patients. After receiving charitable status, it now offers psychosocial supports at chemotherapy centres across the country.

“This is an event that will continue because we love it, because we love to see the smiles on kids’ faces,” Coda COO Franco D’Anna said on Saturday.

U of A Coda president Farhan Zahid said each gift, which contains up to six items, is catered for ages 0-18.

“Toys, books, colouring equipment, whatever is relevant for those different age groups, something for them to hopefully hold on to,” he said.

The group plans to deliver the gifts alongside the Stollery’s child life team on July 15.

Gifts were provided by Islamic Relief Canada and TD.