TORONTO Looking to spread some holiday cheer in a season where Canadians need it more than ever, 19-year-old Loredana Festa raised nearly $1,000 and hand-picked toys to donate at the Montreal Children’s Hospital where she was once a patient. “I thought to myself, I know that it felt like – I just wanted to bring light to people who felt like they were in darkness and I thought this would be a good way to do it since I can’t go in there to hug them myself,” Festa told CTV News. Four years ago Festa, who was living with mental health issues, received treatment at the hospital. She said that many people are “struggling in silence” like she did – to the point that she “reached a breaking point” and got professional help.
MONTREAL Four years ago, at age 16, Loredana Festa was stuck in the Montreal Children s Hospital herself. The days were long. All I had was my mom, she said. So this year, the 20-year-old knew what the current crop of patients must be going through except worse, because of extra isolation due to COVID-19. The only people they can see are their parents. It s an especially bad year for toy drives, too, because it all needs to be coordinated online, said Sabrina Drudi, the Child Life program coordinator. Toys must be picked up at the curb, contactless. Festa wanted to make life better for the kids, but knew she can t go in there and hug them myself, she said.