Jessie Schmitt, a senior at Parkland High School, and office volunteer for Bayada Hospice, took on a summer volunteer project to collect baby dolls for advanced dementia patients in their homes and in senior living facilities.

According to her mom, Shawn Schmitt, a Bayada Hospice liaison, Jessie’s interest in helping hospice and dementia patients started years ago when she would help deliver baskets to nursing homes before the COVID-19 pandemic.

She visited a local nursing home, and saw how advanced dementia patients all wanted their baby dolls for comfort and joy.

They were holding the dolls, and cuddling and kissing them, Shawn Schmitt said.

The unit nurse took time to tell Jessie how dementia progresses and the effects it has on the brain.

The memories of those patients made a lasting impression on Jessie.

Her mission to collect baby dolls was only meant to be a month.

However, as word got out, the collection gained traction, and continued throughout the summer.

Baby dolls began coming in from friends, neighbors, family, teammates from her high school basketball team and some people she didn’t even know.

Her first grade teacher from Kernsville Elementary School donated money to purchase dolls.

Collection sites were set up at several Bayada Hospice locations.

Jessie’s employer, the Fitness Plaza in Fogelsville, also became a drop-off site.

Dementia Society of American took interest in the program and became a collection site in Doylestown, as well.

By the end of the summer, and more than 100 volunteer hours later, Jessie had collected more than 50 baby dolls, some of which she took to senior living facilities before the school year started.

The positive reactions from the facilities and patients has been overwhelming, her mom explained.

There has been a shortage of baby dolls, so the timing couldn’t have been more perfect, and the distribution in September also coincided with World Dementia Month and National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.

Now that the collection is over, Jessie is very grateful for the support from everyone that donated and supported the cause as drop-off locations.

She didn’t anticipate it touching the hearts of so many people that are affected by their loved ones having dementia.