GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – Having a child in the hospital can be tough during the holidays. 

A New Bern family is helping to make Christmas possible for patients at Vidant Children’s Hospital. 

In January of 2019, 19-year-old Dylan Quick passed away from cancer, but his family didn’t want his inspiration and spirit to be forgotten. 

Matt Quick is Dylan’s Uncle and also the executive director for the Dylan Quick Foundation.

“We founded a foundation in Dylan’s name really to give back to the kids with pediatric cancer, really to honor his memory and of course these toys it’s a spirit of Dylan coming back to the hospital now and giving back,” he says. 

This holiday season the Quick family turned to the community for help with a toy drive. 

They packed up and drove a fifteen-foot U-Haul filled with presents to Vidant’s Children’s Hospital in Greenville.

The Quick family understands what it’s like to spend the holidays in the hospital.

“Dylan spent five Christmases battling cancer and it was inspirational to see all the kids here that just fight constantly and even the support staff, the assistance they give these kids is just phenomenal,” says Dylan’s uncle.  

Fighting pediatric cancer can be extremely draining, not just mentally but financially. 

“When you’re in this stressful environment you don’t think about those things and this just kind of takes the weight off of their shoulders and they are so appreciative, not to have to run out and grab stuff and a lot of times they don’t even know it’s coming so it’s a big surprise and they all get so excited about it so it’s huge for all of our families,” explains Christy Denius, a child life specialist at the hospital. 

Matt Quick wants families going through tough times, to keep pushing forward, “just hang in there it will get better and it doesn’t always turn out the way you want it to but it does get better though.” 

If you would like more information on how you can contribute to the Dylan Quick Foundation you can visit their website here.