For many parents, one of the worst feelings in the world is watching your child in pain, so a trip to the hospital can be a stressful time.
In Sault Ste. Marie, most children who enter the building are given a handmade toy in an effort to cheer up their spirits.
These toys are crafted by a lively group of women.
It's impossible to spend a couple of minutes with these women and not have a laugh.
"If I get lots of calls, I'm going to blame you.” laughs one of the members of the group.
"It’s ok if they are men, hahaha." laughs another.
Once a month, they get together and knit dozens of knitted ‘comfort dolls.’
They hope the joy they get in making the dolls is transferred to those who receive them.
Lynda Salerno is a comfort doll knitter.
"They are meant to be given to anybody that needs a smile. Taking the pain away from a child for one second will send me to heaven." said Salerno.
Volunteers come to the senior drop in centre and spend three hours knitting the dolls.
The goal is to make enough so that every child that goes to the hospital will receive one.
"I've had my grand, great grandsons come home with these little dolls when they were at fast track, and they were so happy with them." said Angela Leclerc, also a comfort doll knitter.
Since the group first started, nearly 2,000 dolls have been made.
Every person says the main goal is to help the children, but they say their friendship is the icing on the cake.
"You're absolutely right, if we didn't have good people, it wouldn't be worthwhile coming. It's just great. It makes you feel good.” said Doreen King.
"We have fun, lots of laughs. Big mouth over here, she always makes us have lots of laughs." said Leclerc.
If you're interested in joining this group, the only requirements are: you need to have a positive attitude and you have to like to laugh.
And as we’ve found out, these ladies sure do a lot of that.
