By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

In a bid to celebrate Christmas with patients who are unable to be with their families due to illness, a Nigerian lawyer and philanthropist, Mr. Babayemi Olaniyan, through the Lehi Social Impact Foundation, on Wednesday brought gifts and festive cheer to a hospital in Abuja, stating that joy has the power to heal and restore hope.

Babayemi said the initiative, tagged Christmas with the Hospital, has left lasting impressions in hospitals visited over the years, with managements often reaching out afterward to express gratitude for the donated items.

He explained that the outreach, now in its sixth year, was designed to bring hope to patients who cannot participate in Christmas festivities because of ill health.

According to him, joy plays a key role in healing.

He said, “It has left a good impression in the minds of the people, and the hospital always kept reaching out to say thank you for the items. First, those items are expensive, and we are able to rally around, get money and donate it. That is why we are able to come back again this year to do a different hospital.

“Christmas with the hospital is a yearly event. We go to different hospitals. Last year, we went to the hospital only to bring the Christmas experience to people who are sick or unable to go for Christmas parties and enjoy the festivities.

“We are bringing joy to them, and joy can heal. A little bit of happiness can make you excited and feel like there is hope, no matter the sickness you might be feeling,” he added.

Olaniyan said the Foundation often receives testimonies after each visit.

“By the time we leave here, we have testimonies that people are actually getting better,” he said, adding that his passion for giving and the visible joy on beneficiaries’ faces keeps him going.

On the items distributed, he said the Foundation focused on children and new mothers.

“We give the mothers rice, oil, indomie, and for children, we have Christmas packs for them. They are essential for the Christmas and festivities,” he said.

Also speaking, Pastor Philip Olubakin of Supernatural Life Church, Abuja, said the outreach was a way of expressing love from a faith perspective.

He added that charity is central to Christian practice.

He said, “We want the children here to know that they are not forgotten of God. That is why we have brought this here so that we can share love with the children and also the staff of the hospital.

“Jesus spoke about reaching out to the needy, those who are sick, and the widows. This is core practice for us as a Church,” he said, stressing that the church was partnering with the Foundation because it believed in the initiative.

In his remarks, Dr. Chimaobi Onyejelam, Clinical Director of Garki Hospital, thanked the organisers for choosing the facility.

“They have come to celebrate Christmas with particularly the children that are in the hospital, who because of their condition may not be able to go back and celebrate Christmas with their families. We are very glad that they chose us,” he said.

On the impact of the donated items, Onyejelam noted, “They have come with so many items that the patients need, and any little support will go a long way in offsetting their needs, especially considering the cost of staying in the hospital.”

Beneficiaries also expressed gratitude for the gesture. Mr. Anthony Aguas, a patient at the hospital, said he received gifts unexpectedly.

“I came to the hospital for treatment and I met them, and they gave me my own gift also. My gift is in my bag. You can see it. Several other gifts that they are giving to people. We thank God for them, and God will continue to keep them,” he said.

A new mother, Sophia, who put to bed a day earlier, said the visit brought joy during a difficult time.

“I just put to bed yesterday. I want to wish them Merry Christmas. This is a season of love, and may God give all of us love,” she said.

The outreach was supported by partners including Eilish Consulting, LEHI Attorneys, and Motherland, who joined the Foundation in extending support to patients and hospital staff.

The organisers encouraged individuals and organisations to contribute to society, noting that even small donations can make a meaningful difference in the lives of vulnerable people.