The Healing Bear, founded by Aneira, a 9-year-old elementary student in Virginia. The Healing Bear provides hugs and comfort to children during medical emergencies while riding the ambulance to the hospital and/or during hospital stays.  Aneira created the Healing Bear after witnessing how a stuffed bear brought comfort and joy to her own family member during a frightening medical emergency. When the EMT in the ambulance handed the bear to her loved one, she saw how that small act of kindness, that stuffed smiling bear helped turn fear into calm and comfort. The stuffed bear stayed with her family member throughout the hospital stay and made the hospital stay less scary. Aneira realized that every child deserves that same sense of comfort when they are scared during medical emergencies and hospital stays.