Caring for a sick child can be heart-wrenching under any circumstances.

For families struggling financially because of medical bills and time off work, the stress just piles up, especially at the holidays.

The Press Herald Toy Fund allows Maine parents to focus on their children’s health by taking care of the holiday shopping for them.

And the toys and books purchased with donations to the Toy Fund give their children a much-needed reason to smile.

Letters from those parents include stories of brave children facing serious illnesses and health challenges and in need of some holiday joy.

“My daughter is 14 years old and has childhood cancer,” a mother from central Maine wrote. “I am applying for help for her for Christmas as we are a single income household, whose finances have been depleted due to traveling back and forth to Boston for treatment and my partner needing to take unpaid time off from work…. Finances are incredibly tight right now, and we would appreciate any assistance.”

A mother from southern Maine wrote that her son was scheduled to have a surgery this week. 

“I’m a single mom to an almost 3-year-old boy who in April this year, was diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia and complete dislocations. I had to leave the medical assistant apprenticeship that I was doing, to stay home with him and care for him as he goes through multiple surgeries,” she wrote. 

“He is strong and brave and funny. Things are tight currently as I’m not working, but he still deserves Christmas and I appreciate this program for providing an opportunity for him to have that!”

The Toy Fund uses the donations of newspaper readers to buy toys and books for kids up to 16 years old in York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Androscoggin and Knox counties.

The Portland Press Herald and Lewiston Sun Journal publish lists of the donations along with stories about the holiday gift drive from Thanksgiving through the month of December.

HOW TO HELP:

To make a donation online, go to pressherald.com/toy-fund.

Checks made out to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund may be mailed to 295 Gannett Drive, South Portland ME 04106.

Names of donors are published in the Press Herald and Lewiston Sun Journal unless a donor wishes to remain anonymous.

TODAY’S DONATIONS:

• $50: Gerard and Patricia Bouchard
• $50: Merry Christmas! — Robert and Becky Malley
• $125: Bruce Hopkins
• $50: Charles and Linda Horstmann
• $30: For Brendan Pippin and Petey — Michael and Sandra Conroy
• $100: Jeff and Ann Nelson
• $100: Edmund McCann
• $100: Walter Spencer III
• $50: In loving memory of Dale Pepper, Anita and Edward Ventura, Virginia Ventura and Barbara Pepper. Merry Christmas to all. — Ann Pepper
• $500: Anonymous
• $100: Ruth Yates
• $100: Anonymous
• $30: Elizabeth Goldsmith
• $150: In memory of our grampy Lonnie, He loved Christmas. Piper, Scarlett, Dylan, Camdyn, Memphis and Iris — Mary Floyd
• $100: In memory of Chelsea Thompson — Anonymous
• $100: In memory of Phil Treon — Norma D Gilman
• $50: In memory of our old friend, Frances Burr — Janice and David Holbrook
• $50: Anonymous
• $250: Christopher and Elizabeth Hunt
• $50: In loving memory of Diddy, Shelby and Karen. — From the Simpson Family
• $105.84: In memory of Bea and Dot Swett — Anonymous
• $100: Merry Christmas! Thanks for all you do! — Mark & Cynthia Ayers

Year to date total: $31,408.44.