GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- A handful of young patients at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital were treated to Christmas in July on Tuesday.
Thanks to Tommy's Watersports foundation Tommy's Cares, Santa Claus showed up to spread a little mid-year Christmas cheer to about two dozen children who are various types of treatment there.
“We just came from our chemo treatment," said Lashawn Lewis, whose daughter Jamani is being treated at DeVos Children's. "It’s a nice little refresher to have Santa come see us in the summertime.”
“We get to feel normal," said Michelle Grennell, whose son Nathan is admitted roughly five to six times a year due to a rare disease that makes him susceptible to infections.
St. Nick didn't come empty-handed. Gifts donated by customers of Tommy's Water Sports were passed out.
“The community’s done so much for us, so we just thought we need to do something to give back to them," said Luke DeWys of Tommy's Watersports. “It’s been an incredibly humbling experience.”
The business' foundation, Tommy's Cares, is open to supporting other causes as well. Ideas can be submitted on their website.
