Chico's Charity For Kids is trying to make a child's hospital experience a more positive one.
The local charity is looking to put 5,000 children's book in four Ontario hospitals including Sarnia's Bluewater Health.
President Jen Dafoe, who wrote the book with the help of medical professionals, says the hospital experience can be scary for anyone, especially kids.
The book focuses on a dog named Chico, and provides information and stories that can make it less intimidating. She says she got the idea for Chico when she was going through the experience herself.
"I wanted to help kids overcome the fear of having medical surgeries or procedures, I know how scary it can be, says Dafoe. "One of my friends when I was going through my medical procedures, would send me pictures of this cute little puppy named Chico and that's how Chico became involved in it. I thought he made me smile and laugh so kids will love him."
The charity is taking donations and hopes to eventually distribute the book across Canada. For now, it will be in emergency rooms at Bluewater Health, London Health Sciences, Toronto's Hospital For Sick Children and at Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa.
Dafoe says with the amount of support they've received so far, they've been calling it a book of love from the community.
"The book is given to the child, it's not just lent to them. They can take it home with them, it's wrapped in specialized plastic to meet the needs of the infection control officers at the hospital."
Last week, Grade 2 students at Rosedale Public School made and signed greeting cards for charity sponsors, and for their hard work were provided free pizza courtesy of the Bread Man.