On Friday, Oct. 19, people across Atlanta will come together for "Cape Day" by wearing a cape and sending a message to young patients that nothing is impossible when you're wearing a cape.
But this year, "Cape Day" has a new twist with a "Be Someone's Superhero" campaign designed to unite the community and foster more kindness in Atlanta. Here's the idea: after getting or making a cape (you buy one at cape at choa.org/capeday) you can brighten someone's day by wearing the cape while doing a good deed or an act of kindness.
This year's choice of color for capes is green.
Cape Day launched in 2014 as a way for children and adults to show support and honor kids who spend their days in the hospital battling medical challenges. Cape Day has quickly grown into a huge, community-wide event. Last year, thousands of people across Atlanta put on their capes, including members of the Atlanta Ballet, Atlanta Falcons and hundreds of students, including some who made capes out of big sheets of paper.
Many schools have turned the day into a fundraising event with every child wearing a cape and donating $1 to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
DJ Pitts, now 8 years old, helped kick off the first year of Cape Day four years ago when he imploded a building. This year, to mark the fifth milestone year of Cape Day, DJ is helping introduce the “Be Someone’s Superhero” kindness campaign. DJ was first admitted as a patient at Children’s back in 2013, when the then 3-year-old accidentally ingested liquid engine cleaner, which had burnt through his esophagus, stomach and part of his small intestine. He was known as “the kid with the cape” in the hospital, constantly wearing one he’d received from a volunteer. DJ, who lives in Hapeville, underwent 20 surgeries. He’s doing well and now goes to Children’s for annual check ups.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
DJ has several acts of kindness planned for the coming weeks leading up to Oct. 19. He’s planning to give his teacher a gift, a card to his football coach, and hand out flowers to students’ moms after school one day. And on the site of the building DJ imploded now sits the Center for Advanced Pediatrics, a 260,000-square-foot outpatient facility that brings together multiple pediatric clinics, programs and specialists under one roof.
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DJ wants to spread the word that good deeds can be big or small, from buying coffee for the person behind you in the drive-through or giving flowers to a friend, to writing a note for an acquaintance that makes your week or raking leaves for a neighbor. Then, pass it on. Invite co-workers and friends to participate and spread the kindness. People are encouraged to use hashtag #CapeDayATL on social media.
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