����vlog

Editor’s Note: This is part of a special series, "Moms Who Wow Us," where we partnered with Woman's Day, Redbook, and the "Today" show to honor everyday heroes ahead of Mother’s Day. You can read about all the moms we’re celebrating here.A big challenge facing children who are seriously ill is keeping up with schoolwork. One mom’s high-tech solution: having hospitalized kids attend classes via robots (the robot’s screen displays a live video feed of the child), allowing them to virtually join in discussions, go on field trips, and generally feel connected. After Leslie Morissette lost her son, Graham, to leukemia on Christmas Eve in 1997, she honored him by founding Grahamtastic Connection, a nonprofit that provides free electronic devices to other sick kids. Since its inception, she’s helped over 1,600 kids. “He was really into communication and keeping in touch, always asking the doctors and nurses for their e-mail addresses,” she says.Though Leslie was an art director for 12 years and ran Grahamtastic on the side, she now focuses on her nonprofit full-time. Offering sick children free technology — whether it’s a telepresence robot, iPad, laptop, or internet access — helps first and foremost with education. “When a child is in the hospital, parents want to do anything to allow him or her some normalcy,” she says. “We connect kids to their normal world when it’s out of reach.” Some kids who would’ve missed an entire school year can now go by robot and actually pass onto the next grade level without stepping foot inside the building. Equally important, though, is the social connection. “It stops the feeling of isolation not just from the classroom, but from friends and family too,” she adds.To donate iPads and laptops or to learn more, visit grahamtastic.org.This story was originally published in the May 2018 issue of Good Housekeeping.