Jim Cummings has one of the most recognizable voices in entertainment—he's brought Winnie the Pooh to life since 1988. But what makes him truly special isn't just his talent behind the microphone. It's what he does with that voice when the recording session ends.

For years, Cummings has partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. Hundreds of sick kids in hospitals receive surprise phone calls from their favorite honey-loving bear each year. And yes, it's actually Pooh talking to them—complete with Tigger chiming in too.

The Call That Changed Everything

Cummings shared one story that captures the profound impact of these calls. He phoned a little girl who was dying of cancer. When Pooh started talking, she began to giggle. Her mother, standing nearby, broke down in tears.

"She said that was the first time her daughter had smiled in six months," Cummings recalled in an interview with How Stuff Works.

That moment—a simple phone call creating the first smile in half a year—reveals the power of childhood joy even in the darkest circumstances. When you're battling a life-threatening illness, when treatments are painful and days are long, sometimes a familiar voice from the Hundred Acre Wood can reach you in ways nothing else can.

Why He Does It

Cummings doesn't see these calls as acts of charity. He considers them blessings. "Just bringing a respite, however brief, and perhaps a smile and giggle or two means so much to the child and their family," he explained. "I consider it a true blessing to be able to do that."

It's a perspective that flips the script on celebrity good deeds. He's not giving something away—he's receiving something invaluable. The opportunity to ease a child's suffering, even for a moment, is the gift.

More Than Just Pooh

Cummings has voiced over 400 characters throughout his career, including:

Tigger (since 1989)
Darkwing Duck
Cat from CatDog
Ray the alligator in The Princess and the Frog
Ed the hyena in The Lion King

But none of those characters carry the universal comfort of Pooh. There's something about that gentle, slightly befuddled bear that transcends entertainment. Pooh represents safety, friendship, and simple kindness—exactly what a scared child in a hospital needs to hear.

The calls aren't scripted or formal. Cummings chats with kids about their day, their favorite Pooh stories, or whatever they want to talk about. Sometimes the conversations are short. Sometimes they're longer. The length doesn't matter—the connection does.

The Ripple Effect

These phone calls don't just affect the children. Parents and family members describe them as moments of relief in otherwise overwhelming circumstances. Nurses and hospital staff witness the transformation when a child lights up hearing Pooh's voice. It creates a ripple of joy through entire pediatric wards.

And Cummings keeps doing it, year after year, one call at a time. Not for headlines or recognition, but because he can. Because he has a gift that can cut through pain and fear, even if just for a few minutes.

In a world where celebrity often means self-promotion and brand deals, Jim Cummings uses his platform for something infinitely more valuable: making sick children smile. That's not just wholesome—it's heroic in the quietest, most beautiful way possible.

Related Tags