Feature Story Practice

A blank TV screen begins to fill with cover. A Channel 4 special on a local children’s

hospital begins to air. A camera pans towards a child and their parents, their story soon to be

told. Moved by the courage of this family, and the many other families as well, Tameka Judson,

a junior at Leaguetown High School, was brought to tears.

“When I watched that special news cast on the children’s hospital in the winter, I cried

and cried. I was touched by the strength and character of those children and their parents,”

Judson said. “I knew I wanted to do something for them.”

However, Judson’s attention was soon drawn to the rooms the children were staying in.

White, white, white and even more white. The rooms were bland and lacked color.

“Colors make me happy so I was so struck with the whiteness of those hospital rooms,”

Judson said. “I thought if I could bring a little color into those rooms, I might be able to bring a

little happiness, too.”

Judson soon reached out to the hospital’s administrator, Doug Lent, for permission to

carry out her idea, the Pillowcase Project. This project of hers would involve creating colorful

pillowcases for the children residing at the hospital. After gathering some of her friends and

collecting supplies, production of the pillowcases began, and happiness was soon to be

delivered.

“When we delivered our first set of pillowcases, I can’t describe the joy we saw in those

children’s faces,” Judson said. “All of the materials we chose were fun patterns and very

colorful.”

Lent says he didn’t realize how much a pillowcase could mean to a child.

“Those pillowcases bring so much wonderful energy to the hospital.,” Lent said. “I never

dreamed this would be the outcome”

 Lent also mentions that the children’s parents are grateful for the project as well. Valeria

Gallegos, who is the parent of Sara, a child at the hospital, says that the pillowcase was the

perfect gift for her daughter.

“That pillowcase made a huge difference for our Sara,” Gallegos said. “When she was

scared, she would hug it tight and tell us ‘Whiskers’ would protect her.” (5)

Judson says that when it was finally time for Sara to leave after her 21 day stay,

‘Whiskers’ was taken home with her. Gallegos later says that Sara still sleeps with ‘Whiskers’

every night.

“When Tameka knocked on our hospital door and asked if she could give Sara a

pillowcase, I had know idea what kind of impact it would have,” Gallegos said. “Tameka was

right. Color did make a difference for Sara.”