On my first medical mission with Operation Smile five years ago, I began my journey to learn more about China’s culture, people, language, and healthcare ecosystem. This week, I have the opportunity to go to Lu’an, Anhui, China on my third medical mission with Operation Smile. In exactly one week, I will be running the Great Wall of China Marathon for Operation Smile and in honor of the children in China who have made me smile debatably more than our mission teams have made the patients smile. I started my involvement with Operation Smile in first grade running a total of 26.2 miles every spring to raise money for each mile I ran. 15 years later, I am excited to run the full marathon in a place that constantly changes my life and for an organization who has invested so much in me and my generation of future leaders.
I created my Smile Fund to raise money for this global medical organization that provides free surgeries for children around the world born with cleft lip, cleft palate, and other facial deformities. Every three minutes a child is born with a cleft lip or cleft palate; however, Operation Smile, since 1991, has performed over 22,700 surgeries for patients in China. In many incidents, children with these deformities are abandoned or abused.
I am asking you to support me in running the full marathon on May 1 on the Great Wall of China by making a donation to bring hope and new smiles to children suffering from facial deformities in China. It only takes $240 and 45 minutes to not only change a child's life forever but also restore hope in the individual, the family, and surrounding community.
My Personal Web Log
Topics
Comments from Supporters