A Port Coquitlam student who started painting rocks to help ease some of the anxiety she and others were feeling during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has been recognized with a national youth award.
Insiyah Dharsee recently received a Giving Hearts Award as the outstanding youth philanthropist for 2023 from the Association of Fundraising Professionals as the proceeds from the colourful rocks she sold to friends, family and people in the community helped purchase 24 sets of special soft artificial hands called Zaky HUGS that could be used to comfort premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at New Westminster's Royal Columbian Hospital.
It’s a cause close to Dharsee’s heart as she herself was a premature baby who spent the first four months of her life in hospital.
When public health restrictions in place during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Dharsee from being able to make her annual visit to her doctor at RCH, who often took her on a tour to meet the NICU’s current cohort of premature babies and show her off to their parents as a success story, she started to cast her thoughts to their isolation during the public health crisis.
That’s when Dharsee’s mom, Rubina, told her about the Zaky HUGS.
Developed by a mom and engineer in Texas to bring comfort to her own premature son, the weighted, soft hands can be warmed and absorb the mother’s scent to act as surrogates when the baby’s parents aren’t able to be around.
Insiyah’s Dharsee’s painted rocks raised more than $5,000 to buy the 24 sets of hands as well as a special waterless bottle warmer.
Dharsee, who subsequently used a Rising Youth grant to purchase household items for an independent living program for young people at risk of becoming homeless, said her effort helped turn an otherwise dark and lonely time into something positive and uplifting.
"Life slowed down and I was able to give back and make a difference," she said. "If there is a chance in a million you can do something, anything, do it."
Linda Morgan, the vice-president of engagement for the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, said Dharsee’s efforts made a difference to the very young babies and their families.
"We firmly believe that her personal life triumph and unwavering determination to make a profound difference in the lives of others perfectly embodies the values that the Giving Hearts Awards seek to acknowledge."
