(WXYZ) — Brooklyn Brown of Huntington Woods is just 5 1/2 years old, but she knows what it’s like to be in the hospital. She was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis when she was 6 months old, and has had 12 hospital stays since then. Some have lasted for up to one week.
Brooklyn recently decided she wanted to do something to help cheer up other kids in the hospital.
“I know how it feels to be in the hospital doing nothing...and I want them to feel good so when they wait for their doctor they won't be bored,” Brooklyn said.
It’s called "Brooklyn’s Crayon Drive" and so far, she’s received more than 5,500 new boxes of crayons. Her parents set up a wish list on Amazon for people to donate. The crayon donations can also be dropped off at the Huntington Woods Public Safety Office until Friday, Jan. 18.
Her parents say the donations first came from family, friends and people in the community. Then thanks in part to social media, word spread quickly and they’ve received crayon donations from across the country.
“We've had people bring one box (and) hundreds of boxes," said Brooklyn’s mom, Rychee. "It's been really heartwarming.”
The crayons will all be delivered to Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which is a national day of service.
Brooklyn’s dad, Morris Brown, told 7 Action News, “It shows that anything is possible. It's been a great thing to see. She really wants to make the world a better place. We should really listen to little people because they have some great ideas.”
