Last month, I launched the Type One Barbie Toy Drive. I started it around mid-November with the goal of running it through the end of the month to see how many Type One Barbies we could collect. The plan was simple: Kay, Maeve, and I would donate them to the hospital where Kay stayed when she received her Type One Diabetes diagnosis.
By the end of the drive, we had collected 48 Barbies—which absolutely blew me away. We were so close to 50 that I couldn’t stop there. Thanks to additional donated funds, I was able to purchase two more and round it out to an even 50 Barbies to donate.
Each Barbie was carefully packaged with a small note taped to the back, featuring a cartoon-style picture of Kay and Maeve. The note reads:
“Shared with love by Kay, a fellow Type 1 warrior, and her service dog Maeve. You’re brave. You’re strong. You’re not alone.”
At the bottom, I included where families can follow Kay and her journey across social media: @keepingupwithkayandmaeve.
When I first had the idea to see how many Type One Barbies we could donate, I truly had no idea it would turn into something this big. I would have been happy with any amount. I am beyond grateful to everyone who donated—whether that meant contributing funds so I could purchase another Barbie or ordering one to be shipped directly to us. Knowing that these dolls will bring comfort and smiles to children facing a new and scary diagnosis means everything to me.
We were all set to deliver the Barbies on December 11th. That morning, I received an email from the Child Life department confirming we were still on schedule. I replied right away, sharing how excited we were. Shortly after, I received a response that seemed… confused. The person in charge noted that it was already 10:30 a.m. their time—and we were supposed to arrive at 10:00 a.m.
My clock read 8:30 a.m., and that’s when it hit me: I had made a big mistake. I had been communicating with a UMC Hospital in another state.
When I first put this plan together, I called our local hospital and left a voicemail explaining what I hoped to do. After two weeks passed without a callback, I did some research and found an email address, hoping that would get things moving. I didn’t even think to double-check it because they were so excited about the idea. They loved the plan, and their enthusiasm made me even more excited to officially start the Type One Barbie donations.
Realizing I had the wrong contact the entire time was such a letdown. I was bummed that our exciting plans for that morning were suddenly off—and that this other hospital wouldn’t be receiving the donations they had been so excited about. After that realization, I made several more calls and left another voicemail with our intended local hospital. Thankfully, I finally received a callback.
Now, I’m waiting for an email with next steps on how and when we can move forward with the donation. Who would’ve thought donating toys could be this complicated? Ha! But one way or another, these Barbies will make it to the kids who need them most—and that part is worth every step of the process. 💕