5-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Forgoes Birthday Presents for Gifts to the Hospital That Saved Him

A kid was asked by his mother what he wanted as a present on his fifth birthday. Surprisingly enough, he told her that he didn't need anything. He then donated thousands of toys to the hospital that had treated him.

Having a kind and considerate nature may seem normal for grown-ups, but when the same sentiments come from kids, they can leave one baffled and at a sheer loss for words.

It's true that children tend to imitate what they observe around themselves, and good parenting goes a long way in determining the kind of person they would grow up to be.

A 5-year-old kid from Pennsylvania is inspiring the world with his kind gesture. Weston Newswanger may seem just like any child of his age, but deep down, he's extremely special and has a heart that cares and feels for others.

In November 2016, when he was only two years old, Newswanger was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a very rare form of cancer that develops in the soft tissue and has a likelihood of spreading to other parts of the body.

Following his diagnosis, he was treated at Penn State Children's Hospital for almost a year and has been in remission for about two years.

A little before his birthday, on September 26, 2019, Newswanger's mom asked him what he'd like to have as a gift. The kid refused, adding that he didn't want or need anything for his birthday. He then decided to make a donation. His mom told CNN:

"He [Newswanger] didn't even have to think about it."

Soon afterward, the little boy began collecting dinosaurs and Play-Doh and shared with his mom that he'd like to donate them to the same hospital where he had received his treatment for cancer.

With the help of his mother, he was able to collect the trinkets and all set to share them with the patients at the PennState Children's Hospital. Newswanger shared:

"We got 1,263 containers of Play-Doh... 71 super-heroes... and then 1,249 dinosaurs. And a bunch of miscellaneous items we didn't even add up."

Talking about her son's battle with cancer, his mom shared that the toys, especially Play-Doh, had played a huge role in keeping him occupied and lifting his low spirits.

On the other hand, the hospital appreciated Newswanger's thoughtfulness and thanked him for his generosity. A child life support associate at the hospital also expressed her views on the matter:

"Here at the children’s hospital, it’s alright to be messy, so we go through a lot of Play-Doh, so this is a big, big help to us (sic).”

Indeed, it's never too late to spread kindness, positivity, and hope in people's lives because maybe that's all they need in moments of sheer darkness and despair.