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Credit: WINK News. Old Saint Nick brought dozens of presents to put under the tree of some of the strongest warriors in the Southwest Florida region this weekend. Santa Claus arrived in a helicopter alongside Lee County Sheriff’s Office for the seventeenth annual holiday celebration for child patients at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida Saturday. The special event was hosted by and at Lexington Country Club in south Fort Myers in support of the hospital and the Barbara’s Friends Golisano Children’s Hospital Cancer Fund. “Today is very special because I get to see people from the hospital outside of the hospital,” patient Cali Trepkowski said. Cali was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2015, but she’s in remission now. She and her family got into the Christmas spirit with hundreds of other patients and staff at Golisano. “This is such a great event because we get to see the doctors who saved our daughter’s life,”” said Cali’s mother, Carrie Trepkowski. The early holiday event was especially meaningful for those families who recently received a diagnosis for their loved ones. “Today is special because we were just diagnosed with Lymphoma in August,” said Monica Murphy, a mother of a Golisano patient. “So this is the first day we’ve had to deal with this during the holidays” The party featured face painting, crafts, food and Santa, who spread the Christmas cheer with members of the sheriff’s office. The event was also a day that some parents were counting their blessings. “We’ve been going through radiation and chemo treatment,” said Milda Chartier, a mother of a Golisano patient. “But she’s officially in remission now, so we’re excited.” Members of the Lexington Country Club donated the Christmas gifts for each patient and their siblings. “It’s just a wonderful day, a day for them to get away from the hospital and some of the things that they have to do during the day and just forget all about it,” said Al Kinkle, the COO of Lexington Country Club and chairman for Barbara’s Friends.