When you're only five and have already endured more hospital admissions than most people will in a lifetime, a little act of kindness can go a long way.
Ever since she was born with a rare genetic condition, five-year-old Evanna Daniel has become all too familiar with needles, medical machines, emergency departments and procedures.
But those are not the things Evanna remembers about her hospital stays.
Her mother Rhi Sugars said because of the work of the Canberra Hospitals Foundation, Evanna has a lot of happy memories from every one of her admissions.
"She does carry a huge load of medical trauma and hospital trauma but she remembers the good things," Rhi said.
"Like, she was admitted with pneumonia over Easter but she remembers the Easter bunny and the nurses doing an Easter egg hunt. She was so very sick but she remembers the happiness and the joy."
Evanna also loves the catch-ups with her favourite Captain Starlight characters or the chance to pick a toy from the Canberra Hospital Foundation's store of donations.
"The foundation has become family to us," Rhi said.
"Evanna knows everyone at the donation hub. She calls it 'hospital shopping'. So when she's admitted, she's allowed to go down and pick one thing and take it back to the ward.
"But now she also donates things back, because she knows what it's like to receive something. We always keep an eye out for kids' colouring books and activity packs and every few months we stop by the hub and she hands them over.
"The foundation also tallies everything it collects so Evanna can actually see her list on the computer and that's her way of giving back. She says, 'That will make the kids happy'."
Evanna and Rhi were back at the Canberra Hospital on Thursday for a happier reason, supporting the foundation and its major fundraiser, Can Give Day.
Money raised on the day helps the the Canberra Hospitals Foundation to provide added extras for patients and their families across the public health system in the ACT, whether that's by funding research, buying equipment or providing comfort with something like an artwork on a wall or a toy for a child that is admitted.
For 12 hours on Thursday, every dollar donated by the public will be matched by sponsors Icon Water, Workday, Capital Chemist, the Tall Foundation, Lennock Motors, Complete Constructions, Shaw Building Group and Brennan.
Canberra Hospitals Foundation CEO Helen Falla had hoped to raise $175,000 over the 12 hours of double-donations. In the end, more than $220,000 was given by generous people from Canberra and the region.
"Canberra really gets behind opportunities to say 'thank you'," Ms Falla said.
Volunteers and staff also helped in the effort, manning barbecues, organising a bake sale and mini-book fair and selling raffle tickets at the main entry of the Canberra Hospital.
Canberra Hospitals Foundation chair Susan Proctor said donors often remembered their time in the health system and their interactions with staff, which made them want to give back.
"That is where a lot of our grateful supporters want to give back and support the health care workers who have made their journey a little more palatable in whatever is going on with them," Ms Proctor said.
"The engagement, the heart and the empathy they bring is just amazing and something to be celebrated."
And five-year-old Evanna Daniel was one of the youngest patients saying thank you and giving back, after countless admissions to the Canberra Hospital over her short life.
The little girl has 22q11 duplication syndrome, complicated by an immune deficiency.
"In the past 13, 14 months, she's had pneumonia eight times, which is incredible. She's had RSV twice. She's had influenza A twice," mum Rhi said.
"We totalled it up and last year she would have spent two months' worth of nights in hospital."
Rhi said the gifts that Evanna received from the foundation broke up her stay in hospital, provided a distraction, while special medical equipment provided by the foundation also made a huge difference.
Evanna, for example, loves using the Smileyscope which is a virtual reality headset that takes kids on calming adventures such as swimming with dolphins, floating through space or playing with puppies while medical staff treat them.
"When she has her vaccines and blood tests, they have to be done under sedation. It's quite a full-on day. But things like the Smileyscope make it that little bit better. Evanna knows those things are there and she will say, 'Where's my special goggles?'," Rhi said.
"The foundation puts so much effort into making kids feel comfortable and safe."
