MADERA, Calif. – Annabella Vega knows the excitement of finding a favorite Pokémon card. Now, she’s helping Valley Children’s patients experience that same feeling through hand-assembled portfolios filled with cards of their own.
The 8-year-old began creating mini Pokémon portfolios filled with collectible cards after seeing a commercial about children battling serious illness. Moved by the challenges that many children have to face, she began thinking about how she could help in her own way.
Because Pokémon is one of her favorite hobbies, the answer came naturally.
“Some kids don’t get to experience Pokémon, so I wanted to share it with them,” Annabella said. “I want the kids to smile when they get these cards, just like it makes me smile.”
Since starting the project, Annabella has created and donated 30 mini Pokémon portfolios to the Oncology team at Valley Children’s. Each portfolio contains carefully selected Pokémon cards designed to give patients something fun to enjoy and keep during their hospital stay.
Her mother, Ellison Martinez, says the idea grew from a hobby Annabella shares with her father.
“Annabella and her dad started collecting Pokémon cards together, and they had the idea of collecting cards and bringing them to the kids at Valley Children’s because the patients can’t go to card shows like Annabella and her dad,” said Martinez. “She’s always been a kind and very gentle person.”
For the Valley Children’s staff who hand out the portfolios, one thing is clear: Annabella’s small act of kindness is making a big impact.
“It’s incredibly important to have these moments, especially when I tell my patients they are donated by a peer,” said Krystal Alvarado, a medical social worker at Valley Children’s. “There’s something about knowing someone your age is thinking about you that makes it extra meaningful.”
“Annabella, your hard work and efforts are truly appreciated, respected and celebrated,” Alvarado added.
Watching her daughter dedicate time and energy to helping children she has never met has been especially meaningful for Martinez.
“There is something very special about seeing a child recognize that another child may be struggling and then ask, ‘What can I do to make their day a little better?'” Martinez said.
As she continues building new portfolios, Annabella hopes to bring that same excitement she feels to as many children as she can – and her family hopes the project inspires other children to find their own ways to help people in need.
You can follow along with Annabella’s card-collecting journey on Instagram.
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