“(Oliver) had a huge passion for collecting toys and maintaining the condition of toys and also had the urge to resell toys,” Robbins said. “So I told him, ‘When you get better, this is what we’ll do.’”
“He didn’t get better. I just kept moving forward, I just kind of made it happen.”
Before and during Oliver’s treatment, Robbins bonded with him through their mutual love of toys.
“We would go to different states to go to toy stores, that was always our thing to do, to go try to find that thing that we were looking for or find something else that would just catch our eye,” Robbins said.
In the months since opening, Robbins has felt some comfort through running the store.
“I feel better when I’m there, man, to be honest with you and to be blunt about it,” Robbins said. “I feel like I’m doing what he wanted to do.”
Now, it’s the first Childhood Cancer Awareness month since Oliver’s Toy Chest opened. Robbins said it would be a “no-brainer” for the store to “do something to give back.”
The drive itself will be a month-long donation period for folks to bring brand new toys to Oliver’s Toy Chest or one of several other Hamilton drop-off locations.
The donated toys will go directly to in-patient kids receiving cancer treatments or bone marrow transplants at Cincinnati Children’s.
Robbins said Cincinnati Children’s has a room where in-patient kids can come pick out free toys. He’s aiming to make those toys as desirable as possible, something he talked with Oliver about before he passed.
“Oliver was always happy when he went in there and he found a treasure,” Robbins said. “I just want the opportunity to be able to give back. I will never see the smiles on their face, but just to know that there was a smile on their face would be worth it.
Through Oliver’s 341 days in Cincinnati Children’s, Robbins came to know many of the adjoining families that he came across. Often, with kids in such a state, the parents or caretakers would have to quit their jobs or their schooling in order to stay at the hospital with their kid.
Some families that Robbins has come to know have been struggling with their kid’s cancer treatments for long, extended periods of time — Robbins said one family has been consistent at the hospital for six years.
“That’s a long time, man. That’s a long time to be away from home,” Robbins said.
For Robbins, gifting a kid a nice, desirable toy is an action that benefits the kid, the family, and Robbins himself.
“When we were there, we were lucky enough to be able to maintain,” Robbins said. “But, there’s plenty of people there that aren’t, and if we can give something directly to them, that would be… It don’t matter what it is, you know?”
Robbins said the drive has gotten a good response so far, just a few days into the month, and he’s hoping for a large turnout.
“I just want it to be as successful as possible because I know how happy it made Oliver to receive toys when [he was in treatment],” Robbins said.
Those interested in donating to the toy drive can visit Oliver’s Toy Chest’s page on Facebook to find drop off spots or the hospital’s donation guidelines.
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