SANDWICH - Cathy Schweinberg is used to going the extra mile. After losing her son Jason last year to a rare congenital heart defect, the Sandwich mother decided to devote her life to helping other young sufferers.

Since May, Schweinberg's days have been consumed with making calls to organizations willing to donate enough items to fill 200 gift bags for children in the hospital.

"I know too well what these children are going through while in the hospital," she said. "These children endure a lot of pain and have emotional issues to deal with. I want so much to give them something to smile about."

The gifts will be delivered on Saturday - the national Make A Difference Day - to Hope Children's Hospital in Oak Lawn. Organizations from all over the United States and Canada have responded, Schweinberg said.

"We've gotten more responses than I could dream of. It's been overwhelming. I have been getting deliveries in every day," she said. "It's inspiring to see how many people really care. That's the point - people helping people."

Across the Fox Valley and the country Saturday, people indeed will be helping people. Make A Difference Day is the largest national day of helping others, created by USA Weekend Magazine and held in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation to inspire people from all backgrounds to help their communities. Online information about Make A Difference Day can be found at www.usaweekend/diffday/.

Schweinberg is preparing gift bags for children ranging from infants to teen-agers. They include handmade baby blankets, educational toys, hand-crafted puzzles, books, videos and humorous items to make the children and their parents laugh. When Jason was in the hospital, even though he was in a lot of pain, he kept a sense of humor - wearing funny-nose glasses and hats, Schweinberg said.

Schweinberg said she has purchased enough of those funny glasses for each gift bag. She also has managed to tuck away comedy club tickets for parents as well as the nurses, reasoning, "They take care of these kids every day."

Schweinberg said she and her husband Steve, as well as her three youngest children, Rebecca, Hailey and James, are doing OK since losing Jason to heart disease. "Some days are worse than others," she said. "We keep ourselves busy by doing things Jason would have wanted. He loved children."

Jennifer Bennett of Ottawa has been helping with the hospital gift bag project. Her 2-year old daughter, Ashleigh, has a heart condition. "It's giving me a chance to help other moms. People were nice to bring things for my daughter. We want to give something back," Bennett said.

"We know how hard it is to be in the hospital and for parents to see their children smile - it's unbelievable. It really made me happy to see my child smile through a hard time," Bennett said.
10/24/02

Cathy and Jennifer...
(in the hospital lobby)
The ones who made this all happen and possible.
Amazing, Amazing Ladies!!

"I will never forget the look of the nurse's face when she saw the size of the bags and how many we had!

I will also remember a 16 year old boy and his siblings and father tearing into the bag and saying "wow, look at this!" They were so excited!

Of course the best was the dad that wouldn't let us leave his room..he kept going on and on about us bringing his daughter presents....I think he was more excited than his daughter!!

I could go on and on...it was a great day...tiring day...emotional day...but well worth all the time and hard work...I can't wait to do it again..which will be in a few weeks!!!! "

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