OLATHE, Kan. — Helping keep kids entertained while they’re stuck in hospitals.
It’s the legacy of Olathe’s Noah Wilson. Sick himself, the little boy worked to reassure other kids by collecting thousands of colorful band-aids. Now, Noah is the focus of a new mobile app, and his family hopes it will strengthen future patients.
Wilson’s example is one that can live on through other kids. He’s the focal point of Zingity, and the mobile app’s mission to help sick children grow.
The app hits the market later this week. The application itself is free, and each activity pack costs about a dollar. Scott Wilson, Noah’s Father, says one of those packs is called “Noah’s Fun Activities Pack.” it’s geared especially toward hospitalized children, and giving them positive things to do.
“These are 12 activities,” Wilson said. “I promise you 10 of them were Noah’s. Straight from his mouth.”
Wilson says his late son, who passed away after fighting two forms of cancer on June 30th, helped come up with ideas for the app just weeks before his death.
“He knows what they’re going through. Crazy life-changing diagnoses that are difficult and hard. Let’s give them something fun to do while they’re doing it while they’re in the hospital,” Wilson told FOX 4 News.
The app focuses on kindness, assigning hospitalized kids to make welcome banners for new patients, and showing appreciation for their care-givers.
“He loved two things — he loved God and he loved others. Everything he did was about loving God and others. In his mind, loving others meant helping others,” Wilson said.
Noah showed that desire in collecting colorful band-aids for sick children at Children’s Mercy Hospital — a drive that continues even after his passing. Thus far, the drive has collected over 24,000 boxes of cartoon bandages for sick children.
Elizabeth Waite with Zignity’s parent company, which is based in California, says it’s important to reach to ailing children through technology.
“They are so tied to their phones, video games and all those things. We know that’s the medium they want to speak in. They want to use their phones for things,” Waite said.
What’s more, Scott Wilson and his wife Deborah will sit in the Buck O’Neill Legacy Seat on Wednesday during World Series Game 2 at Kauffman Stadium, as the Kansas City Royals do their part to support Noah’s ongoing mission.
Scott Wilson will also be a guest on FOX 4 News Tuesday morning at 9 a.m.
Click here for more info on Noah’s Band-Aid Project.
