To see a sick child's face light up with a toy is the aim of Cole's Closet, a program started by the Tomczyk family of Springfield that has now spread to three area hospitals.
The Tomczyk family watched their son struggle with a fatal brain disease for six months until his death in December 1999. In various hospitals, family members sat at Cole's bedside while their 3-year-old daughter, Taylor, tried to keep herself occupied. Toys seemed to help some, and the idea took off. The Cole's Closet program now supplies new toys to families with sick children to provide a toy where a toy is needed.
"At the time, Taylor was 3, and she had to be at the hospital, too. There were a lot of times when she was bored," said Ellen Tomczyk.
"Holding a Hand ... Drying a tear ... Bringing a smile ... Making a difference," is the program's motto, with a mission "to assist families with children facing uncertain futures." The first closet was set up in Inova Fairfax Hospital, where Cole spent most of the time, and then the program spread to Arlington Hospital. It has grown at such a pace that on Tuesday, Feb. 10, the Tomczyks branched out to Inova Fair Oaks Hospital.
"We spread to Arlington because two of our board members are from Arlington,” said Ellen Tomczyk. "The growth has been enormous. It just blows my mind to think where we are now."
Husband Steve Tomczyk is watching the program grow, as well. It started in their Springfield basement and has evolved to the point that they have a board of directors, a family support program and corporate supporters. Steve Tomczyk is a linesman at Dominion Electric, and now Dominion's part of the program, as well.
"We just wanted to do something for the kids," he said. "It gets bigger and bigger every year."
Chip Gilliland, at Dominion, helped get toy contribution boxes in 10 of their district stations. Gilliland remembered a time when they thought their family car would be all they'd need.
"We immediately realized we'd need a U-Haul. She [Ellen] called me and said, 'Chip, I think we need a truck,'" he said.
When Gilliland spread the word about the program, the response was heartwarming.
"I talked to friends of mine about it. They pull out their checkbook right then," Gilliland said. "It really hits home."
He's even incorporated the help of his daughter Paige and her friend Alyssa Hager, whose parents are also at Dominion. Alyssa knows how it feels to be sick in bed.
"I think all kids, when they're sick in bed, they wish for certain toys," Alyssa said.
AT FAIR OAKS, everyone pitched in to bring the first load of toys to kick off the program. The hospital is going through a renovation, and it just happened to have a couple of extra closets for the toys. The toys are still in their packages and are marked for age-appropriateness. The children get to keep the toys.
"Currently, we'll have a cabinet, and we'll move into a closet. The new renovation has dedicated two closets," said Marisa Little, the director of pediatrics and obstetrics.
Little has seen the children at the hospital through the years and feels the toys will fill a void.
"They don't like to be here to begin with. It makes it a nicer environment," she said.
John Fitzgerald, hospital administrator, appreciates the community participation.
"Anytime the community reaches out to the hospital is wonderful," Fitzgerald said. "An outpouring of their heart is the best thing you can have."
Another community participation program at Inova Fair Oaks is a $25,000 nursing scholarship with Datatel Inc. of Fairfax.
"Some we approach, some approach us," Fitzgerald said.
The Cole's Closet program has an extensive list of contributors, some nationally known. In Springfield, the Tomczyk's have gotten help from the Outback Steakhouse on Backlick Road, and the TGIF on Frontier Drive.
"Cole's Closet has also adopted families," Ellen Tomczyk said, supplying them with gift certificates.
Future possible expansions include Georgetown Hospital, Inova Healthplex in Springfield and the Inova Alexandria.