Virtual pen pals fill void for sick kids

Sophie Chhowalla who is receiving treatment for Neuroblastoma has lost interaction with the outside world due to lockdown. Schneider and a team of pen pals have been sending virtual notes, pictures and riddles to Sophie so as to make her know that she is not alone.

Philadelphia: Sophie Chhowalla, an 8-year-old from Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, is undergoing longterm treatment for Neuroblastoma.

Her mom Jill explains, "She has a high-risk Neuroblastoma that started with a tumour in her abdomen. And so we've been, since November, we have been getting treated for it."

After lockdowns to stop the spread of the coronavirus began, Sophie lost interactions with much of the outside world. Aside from her parents, she was no longer allowed to have friends and relatives keep her company during the long hours of treatment and recuperation.

But Sarah Schneider, a 15-year-old in Maplewood, New Jersey, wants her to know she's not alone. Schneider and a team of pen pals have been sending virtual notes, pictures and riddles passed down to her by her grandmother.

So Sophie was tickled when she received a surprise email from Schneider and her team of pen pals. She loved a picture of a dog with a baby chick on his head.

"Sarah sent you mostly words of encouragement and kind of what her experiences were, right? What did you think of it?" Sophie's mom asked her.

Pausing with a smile, Sophie replied. "It made me feel happy."

Around the US, hospitals and volunteers are pitching in to ease the isolation of sick kids.

The Chhowallas being one of many grateful families receiving this continued support.

"You know a lot of people do a lot of really, really kind things for all of us. Right? Our town has done a lot. Sarah is just one of, of some just amazing people who kind of, even in times of, tough times, um, where they're worrying for their own family or their own life, they think about kids like Sophie who are going through a lot," said Jill Chhowalla.

(With inputs from AP)