Montgomery County girls hold annual pajama drive for patients and staff at local hospital

PHILADELPHIA - Two young girls in Montgomery County are rallying the community with their annual pajama drive to support patients and staff at Nemours Children's Hospital.

What we know:

Delaney Sturm, 10, and Jessica Jara,11, are leading the effort. They have been best friends since they were little and have been organizing this pajama drive for as long as they can remember. The drive initially started with delivering toys and has since evolved into collecting pajamas.

 "I know a lot of kids don’t want to wear gowns all day in the hospital so we get comfy pajamas for them to wear all the time," said Delaney. "I like all different kinds of designs, and I feel like if they are more colorful, it kind of like uplifts your day because it’s bright and it’s better."

 The girls' personal experiences with hospital stays have fueled their passion for this cause. Jessica is a pediatric cancer survivor who still goes for check-ups, while Delaney receives treatment for juvenile arthritis every other week.

"It’s so helpful for all the kids and the staff because it makes all the kids just feel so much better about themselves," said Jessica. "It just gives me such a good feeling because I know I’m helping so many kids that I’ve been in a position like them, but if I can make their hospital experience better I would love to do that."

 Their families say the drive has been beneficial for both the girls and the hospital patients.

"For her to do something at the end of the year that she looks forward to each time, it makes going to the hospital a lot easier," said Mike Sturm, Delaney’s father. "They get to go home, some kids don’t get to go home, and they know that. So for them to do this pajama drive to make kids comfortable when they can’t go home it makes me proud. It makes them proud too."

 "It was almost like the trick that allowed us to make the hospital. Feel a little more like home," said Kate Richmond, Jessica’s mother. "You want those people to feel seen, know that they’re not in the hospital alone, not just the kids, but the parents, the family, the friends. So even knowing that someone is thinking about you, someone you didn’t even really know. It does make a difference. It gets you over the hump of some pretty dark days."

Why you should care:

The pajama drive aims to make hospital stays more comfortable for patients, from newborns to adults. The girls believe that colorful pajamas can uplift spirits and make the hospital feel more like home. 

The community is encouraged to participate by donating pajamas through their Amazon wishlist.