On today's show, Adrian and Ethan talk about children children living with chronic health conditions. Later we bring you an interview with the nonprofit League of Enchantment.

Approximately 27% of U.S. children live with chronic health conditions that can affect their daily lives and normal activities. These maladies often contribute greatly to school absenteeism and require continual medical attention.

Children with chronic illnesses may be ill or well at any given time, but they are always living with their condition. Some of these conditions include asthma, diabetes, cancer, cerebral palsy, sickle-cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, aids and epilepsy.

Nothing about serious illness is easy, but one of the hardest things for parents may be watching their child struggle with pain, stress, and anxiety.

Children with chronic illnesses are more likely to experience frequent doctor and hospital visits. Some of their treatments may be scary or painful. Hospital stays can be frightening and lonely.

And this brings us to our interview with League of Enchantment…

The League of Enchantment is a nonprofit with the mission to work together with local hospitals, Make-a-Wish and community organizations and events to bring hope and smiles to kids, and kids at heart. Whether it is a smile, hug, photo, or a simple conversation with a child, they are there to make a difference in their lives all through the power of cosplay.

The League has grown from 6 members and is well on its way to 100 members in less than 3 years. @LeagueOfEnchantment

The League’s main focus is to visit kids in hospitals and to brighten their day. At a hospital visit, they bring a toy and a comic book to every child they visit. Not only is this to give them something new to do, but to remind them of their visit with their favorite superhero. Some of the most powerful visits are when the parents tell us them, "This is the first time he has smiled since he got there," or a doctor thanks them for brightening up the hospital floor that day.

While at the Hall of Heroes convention in Indiana earlier this month, Bev had the opportunity to talk with Shamus Smith, President, and Katie Whittaker, Vice President. Today, we bring you the first part of our interview with this amazing organization.

We can always count on kids to see the issues and set out to make a difference...

1. Boy Raises $700,000 For Hospice by Camping Out For 500 Nights After Dying Man Gives Him a Tent

Many of you may remember the story we brought you last year about 10-year-old Max Woosey from Devon, England who had spent the 200 nights sleeping in a tent in memory of a neighbor named Rick, who died of cancer in February at the age of 74.

Max is raising money for the North Devon Hospice because they looked after his friend Rick and enabled him to pass peacefully at home with those closest to him.

When we brought you the story earlier, Max had raised over £79,000 ($109,000) for the hospice.

Since then, Max’s mission attracted national and international media attention and he was invited to camp next to the lion’s enclosure at London zoo and in the Downing Street garden.

Last month, the boy from Braunton celebrated his 500th consecutive night on an adventure that was spurred on by tragedy but raised more than $770,000 from strangers around the world for the life-giving service of hospice.

2. 16-Year-Old Raises Over $500,000 for Cancer Research by Juggling Soccer Balls

Hollis is 16 years old and the founder of Juggling for Jude where she raises a lot of money and awareness for cancer research using her talents juggling soccer balls. That’s not all she does, she also spends a lot of her time at appearances at special events and public speaking where she inspires a lot of other youth and adults to join in her cause.

Through a combination of soccer juggling, appearances at special events, and public speaking, she has raised more than $500,000 with more than 3,500 different individuals donating to her cause.

Her current record is 7,157 juggles which she accomplished on July 30, 2021. It took 76 minutes, which is a pretty long time to be juggling, but thoughts of the kids at St. Jude kept her going.