The event raises awareness for health equity and provide surgical care to children worldwide
Mending Kids celebrated their 5th annual Hike 2 Mend on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Peter Strauss Ranch in Agoura Hills. This event was designed to bring the Mending Kids family and the community at large together to hike for health equity and help children access the surgical care they need to restore their futures.
This year, hike participants had the option to carry 5-pound to 20-pound backpacks filled with nonperishables (that will later be donated to the West Valley Food Bank). The weight carried is meant to symbolize that of a child which a parent carries on their trek to seek medical attention. Together, they raise awareness for the half-billion poor and underserved children worldwide whose need for surgical intervention remains unfulfilled.
Participants such as Christine Devine and Dorothy Lucey participated in the hike on Saturday to raise awareness for health equity and provide surgical care to children worldwide.
“Mending Kids supporters gathered from near and far at Peter Strauss Ranch this weekend to Hike2Mend for MendingKids.org and more importantly, to honor the journey most parents face the world over when trying to access surgical care for their children,” Executive Director Isabelle Fox said. “Saturday was a step for health equity.”
Hike to Mend was inspired by Joel’s aunt who traveled clear across Tanzania to try to save her young, orphaned nephew who was dying of congenital heart disease. Unable to afford bus fare, she hitchhiked with Joel in tow for a full week, traveling over 700 miles to reach their cardiac mission.
The hike is in honor of the distance that Joel’s aunt and countless other parents travel to try to gain access to surgical care for their child. But more than that, it’s also about the journey we all face when seeking to gain access to healthcare for a loved one, whether you travel on foot, by bus or try to navigate the obstacles of insurance eligibility, denial or simple advocacy, it is about the journey.
Mending Kids celebrated its 18th year in Malibu with a sold-out gala at the Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue on March 18. The event also honored local realtor Chris Cortazzo, a Mending Kids supporter who has also hosted fundraisers at his Malibu home; Dr. Robert Cho, a Shriners pediatric surgeon; and Romina Ubillus, an inspiring former patient from Peru who shared her journey back to health and now is a pre-medical student who wants to give back.
The nonprofit also assesses needs and identifies equipment necessary to facilitate surgeries in the U.S. and globally. The organization then commits to a five-year annual mission in each location it travels to perform aid.
Mending Kids provides life-saving and life-changing surgeries to children worldwide who otherwise cannot afford treatment or have no access to treatment. The nonprofit has helped children ranging in age from 5 months to 18 years.
Mending Kids also recruits surgical teams from local hospitals, including Cedars-Sinai and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles for surgical missions all over the world. While initial support came from Malibu, the organization is now based in Woodland Hills.
Funds raised from the event will support the last surgical trips of the year. Since its inception in 2005, Mending Kids has mended the lives of over 5,000 children from 73 countries.
“Participation and support will have a profound impact and create a ripple effect of positive change,” their website says.
Rice was donated by Gary Bailey Farms and other needed items will be delivered to the West Valley Food Pantry.
To find more information about this event, visit events.mendingkids.org.