The fairy tree: Joy and wonder through a patient’s eyes

Fighting his way through a cancer diagnosis, William hasn’t let his hospital stays at Mary Bridge Children’s stop him from exploring with joy and wonder, inviting other kids to do the same.

During one of his recent inpatient stays, William discovered the fairy tree on the Mary Bridge Children’s campus. “I had no idea that the fairy tree even existed until I saw William and his mom out there,” said Lou Ann League, child life services assistant.

William told League that the fairy tree reminded him of “Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom,” a British animated series about fairies. “He also told me that in an episode of the show, that Ben and Holly needed a car. We have a bunch of Matchbox cars for patients, so I gave a few to William.”

She and William talked about how fun it’d be to hide those Matchbox cars around the fairy tree and around the hospital campus so other kids could find these treasures while going for walks outside.

Sure enough, William took the opportunity to hide several Matchbox cars outside and around the fairy tree, nine to be exact. Unfortunately, the door to the fairy tree went missing, but League worked with Mary Bridge Children’s engineering team to fix the door so kids like William could let their imagination run wild at the fairy tree. “Our engineering team is incredible, especially when we need non-traditional help like this,” League said.

Over the summer, the fairy door was fixed, more Matchbox cars were hidden, and Mary Bridge Children’s patients and their families can go back to exploring and finding special treasures around the campus.

Asked if he would keep the fairy door’s location a secret or share it with other patients? William said he’d tell other patients where it is.

“First, get out of your room,” William said. “And then go to the elevator and go down for nine seconds. Then, go past the cafeteria and go outside. Go to the street, wait for the cars and hold hands, cross the street and look in the trees for the fairy door.” (Hint: William says it’s somewhere in the rose garden near a bench.)

Sometimes it’s the little things — like a tiny door on a tree and some toy cars — that help make a kid’s hospital visit a little less scary and a bit more whimsical.

Thanks to generous donations, Mary Bridge Children’s patients have access to toys, games and activities to keep them entertained at the hospital. To donate to Mary Bridge Children’s, you can shop from our Amazon Wish List or contact our Child Life Services team to arrange drop-off of new, unopened toys and games.