Zoe Tipping

The day after Easter in 2014, three-year-old Zoe Tipping and her family went to the zoo. Her mother, Courtney Tipping, noticed blood in Zoe’s urine and took her to the pediatrician. Tests at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital revealed that Zoe had a very large Wilm’s tumor on her kidney.

“Zoe was diagnosed on a Monday, had a port put in on Wednesday and had her first chemotherapy on Friday,” said Tipping. During Zoe’s treatment, her mother surprised her by putting a playful, colorful set of sheets on her hospital bed. Zoe was so delighted that she wanted other children to have that same experience.

For Zoe’s birthday that year, she asked friends and family to donate sets of sheets and then she presented them to Children’s Hospital. The following year, Zoe brought blankets and pillow cases. This year, she is collecting gift cards that hospitalized children and their families can use to purchase something special.

“Children’s Hospital and the physicians, nurses and caregivers mean so much to us,” said Tipping. “We had never felt the kind of family we had at Children’s Hospital. They have truly become like family to us.” Zoe has a sister, Sadie, 3, and a new baby brother, Toby.