Ruby Kate Chitsey spends a lot of time in nursing homes, despite the fact that she is only 11 years old;Ruby Kate’s mom, Amanda Milford Chitsey, is a nurse practitioner serving five nursing homes near Harrison, Arkansas. After discovering that many residents were in need of some cheering up and extra care, she launched a campaign and raised money to grant wishes.
During the summer Ruby Kate, likes to accompany her mom to work and spend time with the residents and last year she got the idea to give them some much needed joy. She came up with a plan to grant wishes for the residents, with a project she called “Three Wishes for Ruby’s Residents.”
“They weren’t new cars or a million dollars [they wanted]. They were very simple things that you could just go in Walmart and get—and that’s what we do,” Ruby Kate told CNN.
To help make those simple, but life-changing wishes come true, Ruby Kate’s mom helped her set up a GoFundMe campaign. She has since raised $70,000 and granted hundreds of wishes from basic needs like blankets and pillows, to Happy Meals and dolls for dementia patients.
Ruby Kate’s mom couldn’t be more proud of what her daughter has accomplished and her work is not over yet. “I think Ruby’s starting a movement—recognizing a need and just doing something about it. This is about their quality of life—bringing them joy,” Chitsey said.
—Shahrzad Warkentin
Featured photo: Nick Karvounis via Unsplash
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