Ever since kindergarten, Minneapolis neighbors Abbie Nelson and Pia Phillips have been best friends. They've done everything together — including support each other through serious medical emergencies.
When Abbie was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in seventh grade and had to undergo hospital treatment, Pia was by her side. A year later, Pia was the one in the hospital after she developed Hodgkins lymphoma.
While they were lucky enough to have lots of visitors and gifts of cheer, they noticed others who didn't.
"Our families were very supportive, but not everyone has that," said Abbie.
During Pia's hospitalization, she passed another patient's room, the door open. "It was dark, there were no blankets, no people, no cozy stuffed animals," she recalled. "He was all alone. It broke my heart."
So she took one of her gift baskets, filled it with a blanket, a coloring book and pens and a stuffed animal, then asked a nurse to deliver it to the boy across the hall.
"The nurse said he just lit up," Pia said.
Chronic illness and extended hospital stays are particularly tough for teens, said Abbie. "It's a very lonely time, a growth time, and to add on something that you're going to have to deal with for the rest of your life, it's pretty scary."
