Christmas comes even while you are in the hospital, and it is up to the local community to help make the holidays brighter for young patients at the MCG Children’s Medical Center.

The center is accepting new, unwrapped toys for children of all ages that will be distributed to patients on Christmas Day. “Santa has registered the MCG Children’s Medical Center at Target, Wal-Mart and Babies-R-Us to help those who need ideas,” said Katie Lawhead, child life specialist at the MCG Children’s Medical Center.

The center will accept toys on December 13 to 17 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Department of Family Services (BT 1964), first floor, MCG Children’s Medical Center. For more information, call 706-721-4392 or email klawhead@mail.mcg.edu.

MCG Health System is composed of three separate organizations -- MCG Health, Inc. and the clinical services offered by the faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia and the members of the Physicians Practice Group. The physicians of MCG Health System are community physicians, faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia, and employees of the Physicians Practice Group, not employees of MCG Health Inc. MCG Health, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation operating the MCG Medical Center, MCG Children’s Medical Center, the MCG Sports Medicine Center, MCG Ambulatory Care Center, the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center and related clinical facilities and services. MCG Health, Inc. was formed to support the research and education mission of the Medical College of Georgia and to build the economic growth of the CSRA, the state of Georgia and the Southeast by providing an environment for faculty employees of the Medical College of Georgia and the Physicians Practice Group and community physicians to deliver the highest level of primary and specialty health care. For more information, please visit www.MCGHealth.org.