Custom-created capes help cheer children in hospital

Initiative helps cheer kids living with illness The Abby Fund lets children in hospital have some fun by designing their own dress or cape. CTV London's Celine Moreau explains.

A London, Ont. charity - The Abby Fund - is bringing smiles to the faces of children in hospital one cape or dress design at a time.

Daniel Kinchlea was diagnosed with a rare health disorder when he was just 18 months old.

His mom, Chris Kinchlea, says, "He was in Sick Kids for a few weeks, where they realized he had developed arthritis and a rare blood disorder, essentially it turned his blood to plasma and it was toxic to his body so it was life-threatening for him.”

Now five, daniel has spent most of his life in and out of hospitals, which his mom says can be scary for him at times, but “We try to find moments where we can make him smile in the midst of his struggle.”

Those little smiles go much bigger when Daniel got a visit from The Abby Fund, an initiative that allows children who are ill or disabled to design their own dress or cape to help make those hospital visits special.

Nicole Snobelen, creator of The Abby Fund, explains, "Children are nominated on our website and then we meet with the recipient at the hospital if they are receiving treatment or their home if they are recovering and basically I say design your dream dress or cape and I will take it home and bring it to life.”

Over the past four years The Abby Fund has brought about 110 kid-designed creations to life - that’s also about 110 smiling faces on the children.

On Thursday, the cape Daniel had drawn on paper was brought to to life. He got to see it and wear it for the first time - and he says he feels like he can fly!

Snobelen says she created The Abby Fund for moments like these.

“It’s a very rewarding experiment for me, but also really emotional to see children go through really difficult situations. I don’t think kids deserve what they go through, but being able to take them out of that situation and just watching them be excited and be a kid for 10 minutes it means the world to them and their families.”

Recipients of the clothing don’t have to pay, so that’s why fundraising is so important.

The Abby Fund will hold its annual fundraising fashion show on Saturday, July 27 from 1-4 p.m. on the third floor of 255 Horton Street.

All proceeds will go towards The Abby Fund.