LI's The Chloe Belle Foundation Collecting Toys For Child Cancer Patients In Summer Drive

NORTHPORT, NY — The Chloe Belle Foundation of Northport announced its Summer 2024 Toy Drive.

People can purchase toys off an Amazon wish list here. The toys will be brought to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital on Sept. 25. The deadline for purchasing toys is anytime before Sept. 25.

The items on the wishlist were handpicked by the child life team at Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and The Chloe Belle Foundation. The foundation is focusing on pre-teen and teen items, because it is the demographic in most need of donations. Donors should be sure to click The Chloe Belle Foundation address when checking out.

The foundation has become known for its holiday toy drives but was inspired to do a summer drive because one hospital's child life team member told Remi Lindberg, president of the foundation, that there is no shortage of gifts and donations during the holiday season. Hospitals are often in need of donations during other times of the year, like summer. Holiday donations tend to dry up by the summer, which is not a busy time for receiving donations, Lindberg said the child life team member told her.

"After hearing this, I knew we had to do a drive for the summer!" Lindberg told Patch.

The Chloe Belle Foundation was founded in memory of Chloe Lindberg, who was only 26 when she died of acute myeloid leukemia in January 2021. She fought the cancer for 13 months after she was diagnosed at age 25.

Click here to read a Q&A with The Chloe Belle Foundation.

Lindberg said she feels a mix of different emotions when, at the end of a toy drive, she and her family are bringing bags of goodies to children and young adults fighting cancer.

"I feel so grateful to everyone who donated because I know there are so many places people could donate to and I'm honored that they chose TCBF," she said. "I feel so happy when I think of the kids getting happy. And like anything with the type of work we do to further our mission and like anything that you do after losing someone, there is always a bit of sadness — sad for every child in the hospital and their family, reflections of your own loss/memories. But I always try to remind myself that the only thing we could do is try to make people happy and that we are continuing Chloe's legacy of joyfulness, happiness and kindness."

Children fighting cancer lose the ability to "just be a kid," Lindberg said.

"They are constantly facing anxiety and dealing with painful medical procedures that are out of their control. Cancer is distressing, scary and physically/mentally hard for anyone, let alone a child. They are separated from their peers, oftentimes unable to attend school, in the hospital for long periods of time. When receiving a gift, I believe, for those few moments we are present in that moment. It's just a moment of happiness!"

Lindberg thanked everyone who donates to The Chloe Belle Foundation's drives, and the charity in general.

"We feel an indescribable amount of love and gratitude. Thank you for helping us honor Chloe by spreading joy to other people."

People can add items of their choice to the cart. All donations must abide by the guidelines set forth by the child life team: