Sofia Slemmer sporting a NillyNoggin during an EEG stay.
When 10-year-old Sofia Slemmer arrived for her appointment with Dr. Chinasa Nwankwo in Akron Children’s Neurology Department on Jan. 31, she brought along a donation of more than $800 she had raised selling her homemade packets of hot cocoa.
“Sofia had recently completed an EEG in our epilepsy monitoring unit and brought a NillyNoggin from home,” said Dr. Nwankwo, a pediatric epilepsy specialist. “She later decided that she wanted to give back in some way so she created the ‘Cocoa for a Cause’ fund-raiser to buy more NillyNoggins to donate to the epilepsy monitoring unit.”
Sofia Slemmer sold more than $800 in hot cocoa packets to buy Akron Children’s Neurology Department NillyNoggins for patients undergoing EEGs.
A NillyNoggin is head-covering for a patient to wear while undergoing an electroencephalograph, which measures the electrical activity in the brain using small, metal discs (electrodes) attached the scalp.
NillyNoggins are cotton and knit and come in a wide range of colors, prints and patterns. Apart from the fun in choosing a hat that fits your personality, they actually help make the procedure more comfortable, said Sofia’s mother, Heather. They can keep the wires from getting tangled and pulled and are more appealing, especially for self-conscious tweens and teens not crazy about seeing their face surrounded by wires and gauze.
“I love my NillyNoggin, because it helps make my EEG test easier and is more comfortable,” said Sofia. “I feel happier, and it helps me forget about having all the wires attached to my head. I decided to do ‘Cocoa for Cause’ to help kids like me get NillyNoggins and help them feel better about having an EEG done.”
Her fundraising was able to purchase 15 NillyNoggins for other patients.
Sofia’s family lives in Sugarcreek, where she attends Garaway Miller Avenue School.
“Sofia and her dad love to drink hot chocolate,” said Heather, “and this was her idea – to make these hot cocoa kits. She bagged them with marshmallows, peppermints, chocolate chips and sprinkles, and she sold them for $2 through social media, word of mouth and through craft shows with me. She really did all the work, and, as order after order came in, it was amazing to see how many people supported her as she raised this money and also raised epilepsy awareness.”
Some of Sofia’s promotional materials.
Sofia made an assortment of hot cocoa packets, featuring treats like marshmallows, chocolate chips, peppermints and sprinkles.
