A Beaverton resident has helped spread a bit of Christmas cheer at Sick Kids Hospital.

Vanessa Hanson, who teaches a Grade 4/5 class at Sutton Public School, sent more than 40 holiday parcels packed with books, games, toys and more down to the hospital today (Dec. 7) as a means of giving back to those enduring the same hardship her family went through.

“Both of my daughters spent a lot of time at Sick Kids, so we decided to do a fundraiser this year for Christmas,” she said.

“With the support of family and friends from this area, I sold 42 bags from Thirty-One (an online/catalogue retailer) and filled them with toys and age appropriate items for patients and their parents. Everyone jumped at an opportunity to help out. They were all so amazing.”

Hanson also had a helping hand from her students and her two daughters, four-year-old Brooklyn and two-year-old Abby.

“My class made motivational cards for the patients to put in each bag, which my daughters filled up,” she said.

Read about other community fundraising efforts this holiday season.