Girl gives gifts away for her birthday

NEWS 9

An 11-year-old girl is giving instead of getting gifts for her birthday.

J. Marcum gathered 40 stuffed animals from all her friends and gave them away Saturday to help children with heart conditions.

"I feel a lot better doing this than just getting presents and stuffed animals for myself," J. Marcum said.

The toys went to children like Alana Pandergraft.

"She was only born with one heart valve so her first surgery she was less than a day old," her mother Kelly Pandergraft said.

Alana said she was excited about her new stuffed animal.

"I wont this animal," she said. "his name is Hoppy and it's a bunny and it's brand new. When I feel down and stuff they're always there for me and they're my bestest friends ever and they like me."

J. Marcum said she's thinking about giving away more animals next year. Saturday's gifts were given away at a party for Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week.