Lauren Shiel and Michael Roberson are all too familiar with spending almost endless hours caring for a sick child or the inside of a children's hospital ward, especially during the festive season.
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The couple's youngest child, 23-month-old son, Brodie, has spend a large chunk of his young life in and out of both Manning Base and John Hunter hospitals, battling the debilitating lung condition, bronchomalacia.
"There is nothing worse than having a sick child, especially when you have to spend this part of the year admitted for any reason," Lauren said.
Despite running a relatively new business, Waste King, raising three children under the age of five years and working around COVID-19 restrictions, the couple wanted to thank hospital staff and give sick children spending the festive season in hospital something to look forward to.
There is nothing worse than having a sick child, especially when you have to spend this part of the year admitted for any reason.
- Lauren Shiel
Last Friday, November 27, Waste King filled one of its skip bins - it was clean - with individually wrapped children's toys, complete with gift card and delivered to the Manning hospital children's ward.
"This was our way of saying thank you to staff on the ward and other children who might be finding that being in hospital tough at this time of year, especially with the restrictions around COVID-19," Lauren said.
The selfless and generous project has been 12 months in the making, with Waste King buying toys from both Big W, Taree and Kmart, Forster.
"COVID made it difficult but in the end it worked out and was a success," she said.
"We are extremely proud to be able to do the donation to the children's ward.
"We just think if we can put a smile on the child's face it will make their stay in hospital that little bit easier.
"We were proud to donate these gifts to the ward and we know that the nurses will get just as much excitement when they hand the gifts to the children."
The toys will be distributed to children who will be admitted or have planned surgeries over the Christmas period, while some larger toys will be donated to the ward's playroom.
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Jeanene Duncan
Jeanene has more than 40 years experience as a regional and rural journalist starting at The Land Newspaper. She also worked for Stock Journal Newspaper (SA), McPherson, Fairfax newspapers and Rural Press, and contributed to various magazines.
Jeanene has more than 40 years experience as a regional and rural journalist starting at The Land Newspaper. She also worked for Stock Journal Newspaper (SA), McPherson, Fairfax newspapers and Rural Press, and contributed to various magazines.
