By Olivia Gallo
The motto of Footprints - “let kids be kids” - can be seen on every page of our website, and at the heart of everything we do as an organization. Providing a child-focused experience is our goal, and we do as much as we can for our kids on the unit. However, this is not a one-way exchange, because these kids have impacted my life more than they could ever know.
As 2024 comes to a close, I can confidently say that this was the hardest year of my life. 2024 had me questioning every life choice I’ve made, from my career path all the way down to what my purpose in this life even is to begin with. This was changed by one patient, let’s call her Amber. I met Amber and her mom while I was volunteering during the 9am-12 shift on Unit 41 in early February. After really getting to know them and connecting with Amber on a personal level, she became my motivation. The only way I could bear to start a new week was by knowing that if I skipped my shift and stayed in bed, then I would leave Amber hanging and she would never get to update me about how her new bunnies were doing, or tell me a new funny story about something her brother did over the weekend.
The goal of Footprints may be to serve kids, but this child did more for me than I ever thought possible. She restored my belief in my own importance in this world, and led me back to what I believe is my purpose above all - making people feel seen and happy. I couldn’t have come to this realization without her, and I never would’ve had an opportunity like this were it not for Footprints.
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