A seriously ill Blackfen woman is on a crusade to put a smile on the faces of people struggling in hospital.
Kayleigh Parkinson, 20, of Lyndon Avenue, has been making care parcels for patients she meets at regular appointments for check-ups or treatment since the start of the year.
Miss Parkinson fell ill at 16 and now has a catheter, a feeding tube and is confined to a wheelchair.
Kayleigh relies on donations to help bring joy to patients.
But she refuses to let her condition get in the way of bringing hope and joy to others going through similar experiences.
She said: "I spent a lot of time when I was 16 on my own confined to one room.
"And then a family friend came and brought me some cupcakes in the shape of a bouquet of flowers and it completely changed me - it was like I had a new boost of energy and helped me get through all my treatment.
"From that I realised I need to do this for other people."
The contents of the parcels depends on the age and gender of the recipient but on a recent trip to Ellenor hospice, Miss Parkinson was able to provide children with activity books, puzzles, bubbles and toys.
Miss Parkinson added: "It helps me because I’m seeing people smile and I know from when I was in hospital and somebody had done something for me, my family hadn’t seen me smile in months.
"To see my family happy because I was smiling again just meant so much.
"Now I put the energy from how I felt into doing this for other people because it can be sad and you can get lonely and you can get depressed being in a hospital bed and not seeing people."
The 20-year-old strives to put a smile on the faces of sick people.
The generous gift-giver has so far been funding the packages herself but has now set up a blog and GoFundMe account in response to interest from friends and neighbours.
Early next year she will hold a charity ball to raise money for the project in lieu of her own 21st birthday party.
TOP STORIES:
She added: "When someone did something for me, for that moment everything was fine and I was normal and nothing was going on, so I want to give that to other people.
"Those moments are precious and I’m just glad I can do that for people."
For more information on Kayleigh's project visit her blog: kayleighparkinson.blogspot.co.uk or offer support through her Go Fund Me page: gofundme.com/kayleighparkinson
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here