Kids dedicate garden for kids at Morristown Memorial Hospital

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When her grandmother died three years ago, Emily Weber wanted a living memorial.

The result, “Mickey’s Garden,” was dedicated today in bright sunshine outside the Goryeb Children’s Hospital at Morristown Memorial Hospital.

emily mccormick
Emily McCormick, a 16-year-old artist from Basking Ridge, speaks at dedication of 'Mickey's Garden' at the Goryeb Children's Hospital in Morristown. Emily helped create the mural behind her, dedicated to the memory of Michelina 'Mickey' Tedeschi. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

“She would have thought it was beautiful,” Emily said, referring to her late grandmother, Michelina “Mickey” Tedeschi.

Mickey was an avid gardener, who spent the last years of her life being treated for cancer at Morristown Memorial.

Emily, who will be a senior at Ridge High School in Basking Ridge this fall, figured a hospital garden would be the perfect tribute.

With her friend Katie Curtin, Emily started a charitable group, Kids4Kids.  They raised money at a high school “family fun day,” and enlisted donations of materials and labor from area businesses.

The project began in earnest in February. Last month, about 20 youths from Kids4Kids came out in the rain to help plant flowers.

Emily McCormick, who will be a junior this year at the Pingry School, spent four days with fellow volunteers painting a “Mickey’s Garden” mural as a Girl Scout project.

The artists left people’s faces blank on the mural–so young patients at the hospital can fill them in with chalk.

Hospital officials said the garden will be a godsend for couped-up patients and parents at the 26-bed children’s hospital, which also includes pediatric and infant intensive care units. There are benches, and flowers, with enough room for kids to play games, do some arts and crafts, and breathe some fresh air.

“You can get really stir crazy in a hospital if you can’t get outside,” said Dr. Mary Ann LoFrumento, a pediatrician at the hospital.

She said children being treated for cystic fibrosis or cancer may be at the hospital for weeks.  Young cancer patients who must be kept in isolation to avoid infection can be taken into the garden, wearing masks, she said.

Dr. Walter Rosenfeld, chairman of pediatrics at the hospital, commended Kids4Kids for their efforts.

“This is a meaningful thing. It’s a great way to grow up,” he said, recounting the rainy day last month when the volunteers were digging to plant the garden:  “They got drenched. And they all had big smiles on their faces.”

Hall’s Garden Center, Herold’s Landscaping, Morris County Farms and Home Depot were among the establishments donating or discounting materials and labor.

The audience at the ribbon-cutting included a beaming Joseph Goryeb, whose donation about a decade ago got the Goryeb Children’s Hospital off the ground.

“This used to be such an ugly area,” he said of the new garden space. “To see these kids getting so involved is just great.”

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