Bringing A Smile to Kids With Cancer
Adam Hurst was truly an unusual person. He lived life to the fullest and in a way that made those of us who knew him proud. His mother once said he "had an old soul in a young body". What impressed people most about Adam was his spirit, he never failed to be courteous and positive. He was passionate and caring. He was funny, creative, fun loving, uplifting and a good student. In July of 1999, Adam was diagnosed with leukemia. Then so quickly that August 17th, he was gone. While Adam was in the hospital, he received a stuffed frog. This frog remained on his shoulder during blood transfusions, spinal taps, chemotherapy and many sleepless nights. That stuffed frog became Adam’s friend, his ally through all that he was to go through for 26 long days.
	Looking for something positive to do on Nov. 14, 1999 (Adam’s 19th birthday) Adam’s parents decided to take balloons and treats to patients and nurses in the pediatric oncology ward at North Texas Hospital for Children at Medical City Dallas, where Adam had been hospitalized. Before they left, a neighbor gave them a stuffed animal to give to a patient. When they arrived at the hospital, they gave the stuffed animal to a mother whose daughter, also a patient, had met Adam when he was in chemotherapy. The girl kept telling everyone that “Adam gave it to her". Thus Adam’s Animals was born. Adam’s Animals is a federal nonprofit corporation established to collect and deliver NEW stuffed animals to sick children all in the memory of Adam Hurst, whom we lost at the age of eighteen.
We have watched the smiles appear when a child reaches out and grabs their NEW stuffed friend. In one instance a small boy sat on his mother’s lap as he was handed an Elmo doll. At first he just looked at it, then reached out to take hold of his new friend. His parents, nurses, and doctors wept at the sight because this was his first reaction of any kind since his brain surgery a few weeks prior. There are many other stories like this one, but one thing is for sure and that is Adam’s animals bring a moment’s happiness in an unpleasant situation. We know that a stuffed frog gave some comfort to an eighteen year old. And we have seen that it can produce smiles, even if small, to children of all ages. Our goal remains to give a moment of comfort to a child and moment of rest to a parent. Each animal has a tag that reads: Adam’s Animals May this stuffed friend Bring you a giggle and a smile. We can accept NEW stuffed animals of all kinds. Because we are officially a nonprofit corporation we can also accept monetary donations, which will be used to purchase animals.
	If you wish to become a part of Adam's Animals by donating a NEW stuffed animal or any money, please contact us or one of our drop off locations. Thank you for your support of Adam's Animals, and for brighting the life of a child if even for just a moment. "Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action." -Benjamin Disraeli