The Eva Martin Project honors memory of 3-year-old Michigan girl with comfort items for pediatric patients
Pediatric patients in Franciscan Health Crown Point’s emergency room and pediatric inpatient unit will now have stuffed animals and blankets to help make their hospital experience a little more comfortable, thanks to a donation by The Eva Martin Project.
Representatives from The Eva Martin Project donated 724 new stuffed animals, 292 pediatric blankets and 59 baby blankets to the hospital last week worth a total of $7,596. Each item had a tag with the organization’s logo and a QR code with a personal message on the back. The tags contain wildflower seeds and are intended to be planted.
The nonprofit organization -- headquartered in Baroda, Mich. – provides the items to hospitals serving children as a way to honor the memory of Eva Martin, who died at the age of 3 after a swimming pool accident.
The Eva Martin Project was founded and is managed by Eva’s parents, Rick and Rebekah Martin, who coordinate fundraisers for the items twice a year.
“Our mission for The Eva Martin Project, after losing our sweet Eva, who found such comfort in stuffed animals and blankets, is to now carry her love forward by bringing that same warmth she found to children in hospitals,” said Rebekah Martin, who serves as the organization’s president. “We continue to share her legacy by spreading light and happiness, the same as she brought us.”
Healthcare providers at Franciscan Health Crown Point know how seemingly simple items like stuffed animals and blankets can bring a sense of normalcy for pediatric patients and their families during stressful medical procedures.
“They’re worried and it brings peace and comfort to them and their families in what is often a high-stress situation,” said Maxine Moore, RN, nursing manager for Franciscan Health Crown Point’s pediatric unit. “They get to take them home with them and sometimes bring them back if they return. We thank the Martin family for this generous gift.”
In July 2024, Franciscan Health Crown Point and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago announced the addition of a Lurie Children’s pediatric hospitalist to serve young patients admitted to the pediatric unit in Crown Point. The partnership allows for board-certified/board-eligible Lurie pediatricians to provide daily management of pediatric inpatients, in-house care 24/7 in the pediatric inpatient unit, coordination of care with the child’s pediatrician, management of care for newborns and pediatric consultations in the emergency department.
In the past, when children would require hospitalization, they would often be transferred by ambulance to hospitals hours away, creating added stress for families during an already challenging time. This collaboration helps to ensure children and adolescents from across Northwest Indiana receive exceptional, comprehensive care close to home.
The addition of the Lurie Children’s pediatric hospitalist expanded the partnership between Lurie and Franciscan, which began with Lurie neonatologists staffing Franciscan Health Crown Point’s Level III neonatal intensive care unit in 2022. Learn more about the partnership online.
