Each year, the John S. Knight Center in Akron, Ohio, hosts the Akron Children’s Holiday Tree Festival. The event features hundreds of decorated trees. One tree is designed by Megan Hammersmith, a former patient of Akron Children’s Hospital. Megan was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 11 months old and received care at the hospital for 17 years. As an adult, she now contributes to the festival to show her appreciation for the hospital.
For the past four years, Megan has designed and donated a themed tree to the festival. The Holiday Tree Festival is in its 44th year and is the hospital’s largest fundraiser. It has raised over $7.6 million for patient care. Megan remembers attending the festival as a child and participating in the raffle. Now, she helps support the hospital by creating themed trees.
Megan works in a data-focused profession, so decorating trees is a different experience for her. She chooses themes based on stories or musicals, such as Cinderella, Mary Poppins, and Neverland. For 2025, her tree is inspired by the musical ‘Wicked.’ She works with a group of 12 friends and family members to complete the project…