The Super Sam Foundation has teamed up with the Fulton Medical Center to provide comfort for child patients.
On Wednesday afternoon, the local pediatric cancer foundation unveiled its new treasure chest at the Fulton Medical Center. The treasure chest is to provide toys and other items to help put child patients or children in the waiting room at ease and overcome hospital stigmas.
"I think this will have a super positive impact. The Super Sam Foundation is widely known by everyone in the community so I think when they come in and see this it's going to help convince people that the emergency isn't that scary, whether they have a broken arm or are really sick," said Andrea Bedrosian, Fulton Medical Center's director of marketing.
This idea has been in the works for two years now, Super Sam Foundation co-founder Cassie Santhuff said. She explained it took time to become a reality and she was grateful for the Fulton Medical Center's partnership.
"You know hospitals can be overwhelming and a little bit scary and Sam always wanted to help make kids comfortable," Santhuff said.
Santhuff, "Super" Sam's mother, and Sam's twin sister, Ava, played an integral role in having the treasure chest established at the hospital. Through the foundation, they strive to help children who are fighting similar battles with cancer as Sam did and carry his vision along.
"Basically 'Super Sam' had a vision to help all of the children. Callaway is so supportive of our foundation that we wanted to be able to give back to our community," said Lindsey Hux, the foundation's director of comfort.
"When we committed to putting this here, we're committed to making sure it stays full and that the kids have a good assortment of items to help make them feel comfortable or help occupy their minds," Santhuff said.
Hux said this is the foundation's first time implementing something like this. The Super Sam Foundation hopes to expand child comfort to other health care centers.
"We're super excited to be able to support the Super Sam Foundation to help ease the comfort of our children," Bedrosian said.
Bedrosian said the Fulton Medical Center does not house terminally ill patients. The facility is considered an "acute care center" that will house patients who are sick or may need to be stabilized before they are sent somewhere else.