The Lori Lange Memorial Toy Fund delivers joy to kids at ANMC

The Lori Lange Memorial Toy Fund delivers joy to kids at ANMC

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ORI LANGE LOVED to be around kids.

Whenever she was around kids, she would smile, yell, pedal her feet

or groove in her chair. �eir presence simply brought her joy.

Many of the kids she saw, like her, were patients at the Alaska Native Medical Center.

Lori was born at ANMC. She had cerebral palsy and frequent seizures. Her ailments le� her wheelchair bound and non-verbal. She spent the majority of her life in and out of the hospital. At age 18, she passed away in the intensive care unit a�er battling a case of pneumonia.

Now, years a�er her passing, Lori’s fondness for children has manifested in new ways, unlocking community generosity and lessening the sting of hospital visits for Alaska families.

SHARING THE LOVELisa Lange, Lori’s mother and a longtime nurse with

ANMC, started giving out trinkets to help soothe the spirits of children who had to come into the hospital.

“Whenever they came here it was a negative

experience for them, because it hurt,” Lange said of the procedures. “I wanted to change that.”

She stocked up on knickknacks and whenever a child came in for a blood draw

or to be sedated, she’d award them a toy at the beginning of their appointment. �e small gesture immediately bonded child and nurse. It was a win-win, she said. Her patients weren’t as afraid and it made her

feel better about doing her job. Eventually, it was too expensive for

Lange to fund the toys out of her own pocket and she and another nurse

colleague went to Carrie Brown, Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation Director, to discuss

a more permanent solution—and the Lori Lange Memorial Toy Fund was born.

“Lori loved kids, so it felt right to continue the giving in her name,” Lange said.

THE CHARITABLE ARMIn 2007, ANTHC established its philanthropic

branch, the Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation (HANF), which directly provides funding to programs like the Lori Lange Memorial Toy Fund.

“You can imagine the impact a program like that can have,” Brown said. “Our committee saw an employee doing this amazing thing on her own and we thought we can, and should, help.”

In 2011, the fund’s �rst year, HANF raised $808 for toys and in the following years the initial sum rose to more than $41,000—a total shared throughout the ANMC campus as extra agents of healing.

Last year, 20,000 kids underwent treatment at the hospital. Each received a toy.

Many of the toys are collected from Kohl’s Cares, the department store’s program that provides a curated collection of children’s stu�ed animals and books and donates proceeds to partner hospitals, health and education initiatives. Usually the toys sell for $5 in-store, but Brown said they’ve worked out a deal with

ORI LANGE LOVED to be around kids.

experience for them, because it hurt,” Lange said of the procedures. “I wanted to change that.”

She stocked up on knickknacks and whenever a child came in for a blood draw

or to be sedated, she’d award them a toy at the beginning of their appointment. �e small gesture immediately bonded child and nurse. It was a win-win, she said. Her patients weren’t as afraid and it made her

feel better about doing her job. Eventually, it was too expensive for

Lange to fund the toys out of her own pocket and she and another nurse

colleague went to Carrie Brown, Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation Director, to discuss

a more permanent solution—and the Lori Lange Memorial Toy Fund was born.

“Lori loved kids, so it felt right to continue the giving

LORI’S FONDNESS FOR CHILDREN HAS MANIFESTED IN NEW WAYS, UNLOCKING

COMMUNITY GENEROSITY AND LESSENING THE STING OF HOSPITAL VISITS FOR ALASKA FAMILIES.

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the company to get them at a further reduced rate, to stretch the funds buying power even more.

In the past, the stu�ed animals have been in the likeness of children’s book characters like Cli�ord the Big Red Dog and his other four-legged friends; Paddington, the raincoat wearing bear; Corduroy,

the overalls clad teddy bear; and Curious George, a well-meaning but mischievous monkey. Brown estimates there have been between 30 or 40 di�erent characters in the last �ve years.

�ough the bulk of the toys are in the foundation’s storage area, Lange periodically restocks the caches of stu�ed animals spread throughout the hospital.

Most of the toys go to patients in pediatrics, the trauma center/emergency

department, sedation clinic and day surgery. It’s comforting for those patients to have something cozy to hold onto leading up to or following

their procedures. “It helps bring a smile to their face when they’re

going through a tough time,” Brown said. “�ey’re far from home, don’t have their own personal items, are going through a scary thing, and to give them a stu�ed animal to hold onto is really nice. It’s those comfort touches. We can’t take the pain away, but we can ease the stress for the kids.”

�e toys, Lange said, help the kids a�er they’ve le� the hospital, too. One mother, whose daughter had been given a Build-A-Bear, sent her a letter and some pictures of the girl and her prized bear. �ey had gone all over town together.

“You can’t ask for better feedback than that,” Lange said.

Even though Lange is planning on retiring soon, the legacy will continue—she’s currently training her replacement.

“I get letters and input from people all the time that have been a�ected by this program,” Lange said. “�ey’re all so positive and thankful. My hope is that this is something that doesn’t disappear and lives on.” l

Interested in contributing to the Lori Lange Memorial Toy Fund? Funds can be donated online at http://inspiringgoodhealth.org/toys/ or mailed to: Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation, Attn: Lori Lange Memorial Toy Fund, 4000 Ambassador Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508.

In the past, the stu�ed animals have been in the likeness of children’s book characters like Cli�ord the Big Red Dog and his other four-legged friends; Paddington, the raincoat wearing bear; Corduroy,

the overalls clad teddy bear; and Curious George, a well-meaning but mischievous monkey. Brown estimates there have been between 30 or 40 di�erent characters in the last �ve years.

�ough the bulk of the toys are in the foundation’s storage area, Lange periodically restocks the caches of stu�ed animals spread throughout the hospital.

Most of the toys go to patients in pediatrics, the trauma center/emergency

department, sedation clinic and day surgery. It’s comforting for those patients to have something cozy to hold onto leading up to or following

their procedures. “It helps bring a smile to their face when they’re

going through a tough time,” Brown said. “�ey’re far from home, don’t have their own personal items, are going through a scary thing, and to give them a stu�ed animal to hold onto is really nice. It’s those comfort touches. We can’t take the pain away, but we can ease the stress for the kids.”

�e toys, Lange said, help the kids a�er they’ve le� the hospital, too. One mother, whose daughter had been given a Build-A-Bear, sent her a letter and some pictures of the girl and her prized bear. �ey had gone all over town together.

“You can’t ask for better feedback than that,” Lange said.

Even though Lange is planning on retiring soon, the legacy will continue—she’s currently training her replacement.

“I get letters and input from people all the time that have been a�ected by this program,” Lange said. “�ey’re all so positive and thankful. My hope is that this is something that doesn’t disappear and lives on.”

Interested in contributing to the Lori Lange Memorial Toy Fund? Funds can be donated online at http://inspiringgoodhealth.org/toys/ or mailed to: Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation, Attn: Lori Lange Memorial Toy Fund, 4000 Ambassador Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508.

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