A group of 25 Maria Regina High School students will help bring smiles to the young patients at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital this holiday season. 

In just two hours, the students stuffed more than 200 teddy bears, which will soon be delivered to some of the region’s most ill and injured children, who are being cared for at the top-ranked Maria Fareri in Valhalla.

Known as Operation Teddy Bear, the project was led by Dr. Kathy Reilly Fallon, a distinguished alumna (Class of ’86) who worked alongside the students to prepare the bears that are designed to provide children in unfamiliar and challenging situations with a sense of comfort and security.

In 2003, Dr. Fallon co-founded the nonprofit Heavenly Productions Foundation, dedicated to helping children in need in places including the South Bronx, Harlem, the tri-state area, as well as in Haiti, Uganda, and Ghana. To date, the foundation has stuffed more than 2,400 teddy bears for children undergoing care at hospitals.

Since its founding 67 years ago, the all-girls Catholic Maria Regina has inspired its students with the values of compassion and service, fostering a legacy of giving back. In that spirit, Dr. Fallon returned to her alma mater to share her inspiring service journey and engage the students in making a difference.