St. Joseph’s Holiday Shop makes gifts more convenient, affordable for parents with children in the hospital

TAMPA, Fla. - For many parents, crossing off their children's Christmas wish list can be time-consuming and sometimes challenging. For parents of patients at children's hospitals, it's an even taller task. 

The annual St. Joseph's Children's Hospital Holiday Shop hopes to help make things more convenient and affordable for those parents. 

"Seeing the difference it makes for these patients and families, I don't think there's a word to give it," St. Joseph's Children's Hospital child life specialist Brianna Wagner said. 

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Kristina Shea has three daughters. Her youngest has been at the hospital since Friday and was also a patient last year during the holidays. 

"It's hard. For the second year in a row, my older two dance, and we ended up here on their big Nutcracker production weekend," Shea said. "You hope for it to be such a happy time, and instead you are worried about one kiddo and trying to be present and happy for the others, and it's just a juggling act."

The hospital's auditorium was transformed into the pop-up shop. Around 70 families attended the three-hour event. Each patient and their siblings could select up to 10 gifts, free of charge. 

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This year, Amazon donated more than $15,000 of toys, games and electronics, which adds to the donations received from the community throughout the year. 

"The kindness of others shines through, and that's what means the most," Shea said. "It was very uplifting and heartwarming, and I can't express enough how much I appreciate that we're thought of as a family and not just a patient."