Kamo girl Sophie Spijkerbosch raises money for sick children

Sophie Spijkerbosch, 11, has given up her own time to raise money for sick kids.

Not many 11-year-olds are willing to give up their own time to raise money for presents for other children, but that's what Sophie Spijkerbosch has done.

After spending a lot of time at the side of her beloved Aunt Michele, who was being treated for lung cancer, then visiting both her father and grandfather in hospital for urgent illnesses, Sophie began to think about children who were sick in hospital and decided to do something to help make their stay a little bit easier.

The Kamo Intermediate student's mother, Megan Spijkerbosch, said Sophie was a very focused and organised girl.

"She put a lot of thought into how to fundraise some money and came up with the bright idea of having a raffle."

Sophie approached Countdown in Tikipunga and Coin Save in Kamo to ask if they could contribute to the raffle. Then, with some extra goodies given by her sick aunt, she made up four gift baskets to raffle.

Sophie went door-knocking every day after school for months to sell her tickets, which she said was fun, "except having to go out in the rain".

She raised $280 from the raffle sales, with the winning ticket going to a woman who is caring for her mother who has cancer.

Sophie's mother said that made them feel a real connection to what they were doing.

"The whole process has been something positive for the family to focus on during a difficult time," she said.

When the tickets were sold Sophie bought gifts appropriate for children to play with in bed.

"She's a real lover of slime, but she knew that wouldn't work,'' her mother said.

Sophie bought Rubik's cubes,colouring-in books, stories and jewellery-making kits.
She divided them into colour-coded categories for younger and older children, gift wrapped them and handed them out to children on the ward at Whangārei Hospital.

Because she had so many gifts, some visiting siblings in the playroom received a present as well.

Sophie said she felt cool giving out the presents, and it was fun.

"I had 30 presents to give out and I wanted to give the children two presents each, but since there are 16 children on the ward we decided to give some to their visitors as well."

Sadly, the morning Sophie gave out the gifts her aunt passed away.

Megan Spijkerbosch said being able to give away the gifts on that morning made it all the more special because Aunt Michele was the inspiration for the whole project and was very proud of Sophie.