Being in the hospital can be a traumatic experience for a child, but one Parkland student found a unique way to turn around her experience to help other children in the hospital.

Kelly Kearney, a fourth grade student at Schnecks-ville Elementary School, recently donated $3,813.80 to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia through her charity, "Kelly's Ladybug Love for CHOP."

Kelly's mom, Kara Kearney said they came up with the name when they decided to do some fundraising for CHOP.

"When I was transferred from a local hospital to CHOP on Oct. 7, 2013, a ladybug landed on my shoulder in the ambulance," Kelly said. "I knew ladybugs were good luck."

Kara said after Kelly was admitted to a local hospital on Oct. 2, 2013, to have her appendix removed, she developed complications.

"After that, my husband, Ed, and I had her transferred to CHOP because the doctors here could not figure out what was going on," Kara said. "CHOP did exploratory surgery and found out Kelly's bladder had been injured during the original surgery.

"CHOP really took care of Kelly, not only medically but emotionally as well. They helped her to trust in doctors again because it was a very traumatic ordeal at the original hospital."

Kara said Kelly was discharged from CHOP on Oct. 10, 2013.

Ever since the ladybug landed on Kelly, the family has been visited by ladybugs, Kara said.

Kara said a ladybug also landed on her cheek the day before Kelly's follow up visit at CHOP when she was medically cleared.

"We see ladybugs all the time, whenever we need to see them or need some hope," she stated. "We even have friends call and tell us about seeing ladybugs."

Of the $3,813.80 donated to CHOP, $536 was delivered to Child Life; $250 went to general surgery; and the remaining amount, $3,027.80, went to the Cancer Center.

Kara said the reason Kelly chose the Cancer Center was because the floor she was on was above the Cancer Center, and she saw a lot of kids with cancer on her follow up visit to CHOP.

"We also donated books, puzzles, board games and arts and crafts to CHOP," she said.

Kara said they not only wanted to give back to CHOP but they also wanted to help Kelly turn her negative experience into something positive, and help CHOP continue to care for children.

"This whole experience of giving back has helped our family heal from the original trauma," Kara stated.

"We are so fortunate to live so close to an amazing hospital such as CHOP," Ed said.

Kelly, who loves dancing, basketball and swimming lives with her parents and younger brother, Ryan, in Schnecksville.