These small, hand-knitted dolls are named after Master Corporal Mark “Izzy” Isfeld, a Canadian soldier who died while serving on a peacekeeping mission in Croatia in 1994.
On Isfeld’s first peacekeeping mission, he was deeply affected by the suffering of the children he encountered. Many of the children he met had no toys or personal belongings, as they had to leave everything behind when they fled from dangerous situations. This gave Isfeld’s mother, Carol, the idea to create Izzy dolls so her son would have something to give the children he met while serving.
The legacy of the Izzy doll continues to bring comfort and smiles to children around the world. Over the past two decades, Canadian soldiers and health-care workers have given out more than 1.3 million dolls to children in war-torn areas and regions affected by natural disasters as a small token of goodwill and hope. The dolls are also often given to refugee children who resettle in Canada.
Today, Izzy dolls are made by volunteers across the country. If you’re interested in becoming part of this effort, you can find patterns and instructions for how to make the dolls online.
