The OwieBowWowie and Friends Foundation is a 501(c)(3), charity that provides plush toys and activity books that have been specifically designed for children facing life threatening illness and injuries.http://owiebowwowie.net/_mgxroot/page_10763.html Children going through treatments find comfort and can relate to OwieBowWowie, a 12" a plush toy with owies and bandages like their own.http://owiebowwowie.net/_mgxroot/page_10740.html The foundation has teamed up with Children's Hospital of Los Angeles in an effort to provide OwieBowWowies to the nearly 1,000 children that are admitted to that facility monthly. The foundations primary goal is to "comfort the hurts and hearts of children".http://owiebowwowie.net/_mgxroot/page_10726.html Its long range goals are to first, provide regularly for the needs of Children's Hospital Los Angeles and then to reach out to other children's facilities until every child that is admitted for treatment receives an OwieBowWowie to comfort them.

The inspiration for the OwieBowWowie and Friends Foundation came decades ago when the founder Gina Gippner-Woods was hospitalized herself and due to a shortness of beds had been placed in a room with a young girl who was recovering from brain surgery and had no family to support her. The child had been given a stuffed toy by one of her nurses, but when the nurse left the room the child threw the toy across the room. Gina was confused and asked the child why she had done that. The child told her it was because it was broken and it wasn't hers. Gina retrieved the stuff animal and saw that its ear was torn. Seeing some left over guaze from when the child’s bandages had been changed, Gina bandaged the toy, giving it back, telling her that, "It's not broken. It's got an "owie" like you. It's your 'OwieBowWowie."http://owiebowwowie.net/_mgxroot/page_10766.html It was from the happiness of that one small girl that Gina was motivated to design and develop OwieBowWowie, Since then Gina discovered that “Over 20 million children per year are diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, and 42 percent of these children do not have family or friends to comfort them during their life saving treatment.” http://owiebowwowie.net/_mgxroot/page_10766.html The foundation made its first delivery of OwieBowWowies to Loma Linda Hospital December 18, 2007.http://owiebowwowie.net/_mgxroot/page_10734.html Joanna DeLeon- Director: Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital, was quoted as saying “The products that OwieBowWowie and Friends provides to ill and injured children are a significant part of their healing process, while in hospitals and beyond.” http://owiebowwowie.net/_mgxroot/page_10764.html Since then the foundation has teamed with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, making their first delivery of comfort there on April 30, 2008. http://owiebowwowie.net/_mgxroot/page_10732.html Other stuff toys and books are currently being designed and under development that will meet other needs for children who need comforting.