When 12-year-old Campbell Whittaker, of Tasmania, Australia, was just 9, he asked his mother if he could donate Christmas gifts to sick children. His mom told him that they couldn’t afford to. Campbell (who also goes by “Bumble”) is one of nine kids, and his parents’ bank account was already stretched thin from having to buy Christmas presents for all of Campbell’s brothers and sisters.
That didn’t stop Campbell, though. He took matters into his own hands — literally — and began to sew teddy bears for sick children. Whats more, Campbell’s mom Sonya tells Babble that Campbell is entirely self-taught. He found some patterns online, and with a little practice, he figured out how to make the bears all on his own.
“He has tried to teach me and his dad what he does and we can’t even understands how he does it,” Sonya shares with Babble. (I know that I’d be right there with Campbell’s parents; I haven’t touched a sewing machine since 7th grade Home Economics!).
This amazing and generous boy has been making teddy bears for the past three years, hand-delivering them to the children personally. Campbell even has a Facebook page, where he describes his teddy bear project in more detail.
“I decided that I would make one present a day, which is 365 a year, and give them all away,” writes Campbell. “I have done this for two Christmases now and I love it.”
It’s not even Christmas yet, but it sounds as though Campbell has already surpassed that goal. He shares on his page that he has made over 400 presents so far in 2016, and raised $5,241 for fundraisers.
Are you not totally blown away by this young boy? I sure am. He is more prolific than I will ever be at anything, and has the most generous spirit.
Campbell’s mother Sonya has always known that Campbell was special. He has a unique brand of empathy that’s pretty rare in someone so young. “When someone’s heart breaks, Campbell’s has always broken more,” Sonya tells Babble. “I think being a big brother in a family of 9 children has encouraged his nurturing empathetic nature.”
I first heard about Campbell’s inspiring story by seeing a viral video that was making the Facebook rounds earlier this week. The video (which you can watch in full here), was produced by the Australian website The Feed SBS and features heartwarming interviews with Campbell himself, as well as his parents, and the children who have received his gifts.
Warning: Before you watch, please make sure you do so with a truckload of tissues by your side. It is one of the most moving things you’ll ever see.
In the video, it’s revealed that Campbell’s father Nathan was diagnosed with cancer five years ago, and while he’s currently cancer-free, his father says that the cancer has an 80% recurrence rate.
Of course, Campbell has made his dad a bear, too. His mother shares with Babble that the kind of bear Campbell made his dad was a “winner bear,” which he gives to people when they are incredibly ill. “Bumble believes these bears are magic enough to cure where other things may not,” she explained.
Campbell’s dad says that he had to admit to Campbell that his the cancer would most likely come back — and his response will break your heart, and put it back together, all at once.
“Dad,” said Campbell, “It’s a winner bear. You’ll win against it.”
Fighting back tears in the video, Campbell’s dad explains that the cancer hasn’t come back for over a year now — the longest he’s ever gone between occurrences.
“Maybe … bear worked,” he says.
It sounds like it sure might have. But Campbell’s dad isn’t sure whether to credit the bear, or just Campbell himself. “There’s a little bit of magic in [the bears],” says Nathan. “A lot of magic in Campbell, though.”
Indeed there is. Campbell has given life and hope to his father, as well as the hundreds of children who have received his gifts — not to mention the thousands of others who’ve heard his story.
“I suppose in a glimpse, he makes teddy bears and gives them to children,” Campbell’s mom says in the video. “But what it really is, is he looks at sadness and tries to turn it upside down.”
Campbell shares on his Facebook page that he uses the “pocket money” he’s earned to make his bears, but he accepts donations to off-set the cost of fabric and other materials. If you’d like to support Campbell’s cause, you can donate via the PayPal account his mom runs.