CT Girl, 8, Donates Birthday Gifts To Children In Hospital

WATERFORD, CT - As she looks over the birthday gifts spread across her kitchen table, 8-year-old Bella Broughton cannot help but be excited. She knows the pile filled with crayons, poker sets, iTunes gift cards and more will make some other children very happy.

No, these presents are not for the young birthday girl. They are set to be donated just a few days before Christmas to children spending the holidays at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Bella's mother, Victoria Broughton of Waterford, said this is no different than in years previous.

“Every year for her birthday we usually donate to the local animal shelter. We’ve been doing it for about four years now," Broughton said in a phone interview with Patch. "Instead of getting her gifts, we just ask that her friends and family donate for her birthday.”

Broughton said this generous idea came from her daughter's desire to help out those less fortunate, as well as her birthday being right in the middle of the holiday season.

“Her birthday is so close to Christmas," Broughton said. "It’s a lot for people to do Christmas and birthdays, and [Bella] just always felt so bad for the animals she'd see in those commercials on TV. She just wanted to start donating.”

This year, Bella felt compelled to donate to the hospital following the passing of a local girl she knew. The family also was excited about the idea of giving back to the facility after having such positive experiences there in the past.

“Yale-New Haven is a great hospital," Broughton said. "We’ve had to go there a couple times for our kids and our family, and the doctors are just so wonderful."

Broughton said they will be collecting donations until Saturday, Dec. 16, and have already received many Crayola crayons and markers, decks of cards and poker chips, as well as gift cards intended for the older kids.

She is encouraging people far and wide to donate to this worthy cause and help make Bella's birthday wish come true. She recommends donating items such as board games like Operation or Monopoly, however any gift would be a wonderful contribution.

Bella and her family will be dropping everything off on Dec. 20, a day the she has been looking forward to even more than her actual birthday.

“[Bella] loves donating," Broughton said. "She can't wait. We’re going to take the day off from school and go up to the hospital and donate a whole truckload of toys and a big old check just for them.”

Broughton admitted she was also really looking forward to seeing the reactions from children receiving presents thanks to her daughter and generous donors.

“I think [the kids] are going to be completely shocked," Broughton said. "I just can’t wait to see them get their presents and enjoy them for Christmas, even though they are unfortunately stuck in a hospital. We hope this will really just brighten up their day.”

Bella's generosity is also highly appreciated by her parents, who think it is “absolutely fantastic” their child would be so giving on her special day.

“My husband and I have tried to raise a child who feels blessed no matter what she gives and what she gets," Broughton said. "We just want her to know that this time of the year is really just about giving, not receiving.”

Broughton also hopes her daughter's charitable attitude at this time of year will filled others with hope and a desire to spread some holiday cheer themselves.

“I just want everyone to know that there are good people out in the world, and there are good kids," Broughton said. "It’s all about just raising them to feel blessed with what they have, and to think about others that don’t have what they have.”

Though a child being satisfied with not receiving gits on her birthday may seem hard to believe for some, Broughton insists Bella understands through her actions the true meaning of Christmas, and what the significance of receiving a gift really is.

"It’s her birthday today and she doesn’t even care that she’s not getting anything," Broughton said, "because she sees the table full of all the donations or she'll write thank you cards to people who have donated, and I just really hope that she understands what she is doing is making a huge difference in so many children’s lives.”

Those who who wish to donate to Bella's cause can contact Broughton directly by phone at 860-961-2406.

Image courtesy Victoria Broughton