What Does Giving Back Look Like? Just Ask 7-year-old Nellie Mainor

“How many toys have you collected?”

“A lot, like close to a 100,” says Nellie.

“You’ve collected a lot more than that,” replies Nellie’s mom, Sarah.

“So, like 105?” Nellie asks.

In reality, Nellie Mainor, a 7-year-old, collected and donated 584 toys as a birthday present to give to Primary Children’s Hospital — a place where she spends a lot of time these days. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Nellie is in the Dialysis Clinic receiving a four-hour treatment, followed by a 30-minute infusion at the hospital. This has been her routine since February, when she was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease called Dense Deposit Disease.

“I love all the nurses and caregivers here,” Nellie says. “I wanted to give back to the hospital, because they have taken care of me and they’ve given me a lot of cool toys.”

The idea is centered around Nellie’s birthday, which her family celebrates the entire month of April. Nellie decided she wanted to give the hospital a birthday present and began collecting toys from the Primary Children’s wish list. She reached out to family, friends and even local businesses who helped her collect hundreds of toys, electronics and craft supplies.

“The toys and different craft projects have made difficult times a little easier for Nellie while she’s here,” says Sarah. “It makes me really proud that she has a giving little heart that wants to give back to the amazing Primary Children’s team.”​

Nellie’s service project isn’t finished yet. She and her mom have planned monthly service projects for the coming year. In May, she made Mother’s Day cards for the caregivers at PCH, and plans to do the same for Father’s Day in June. In July, they plan to hold a blood drive in honor of the two blood transfusions she’s received at Primary Children’s Hospital.