MALIBU, Calif., March 18, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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Mending Kids, a non-profit organization that provides life-saving surgical care to children worldwide, is celebrating its 18th year of operation. The organization is hosting its Imagine Gala, The Gift of the Future, on Saturday, March 18th, from 5:30-10 p.m. PDT at the Malibu Jewish Center & Synagogue. The event, which is sold out, will feature several celebrities and guests will be treated to fine dining, live auctions, prizes, and entertainment.
One of the highlights of the gala is the special guest, Elise, a Cameroonian patient who has faced significant challenges stemming from a congenital spine malformation. She will finally be receiving the life-changing care that she needs the week after the gala. The event will also honor individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the organization. The 2023 honorees and recipients of the Mend, Love, and Hope awards are Dr. Robert Cho & Shriners Children's Southern California, Chris Cortazzo, and Romina Ubillús, respectively.
Dr. Cho, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and chief of staff at Shriners Children's Southern California, is being recognized for his innovative approach to care and commitment to individualized treatment, which has helped countless children. Chris Cortazzo, a Malibu native and real estate icon, has displayed his unwavering commitment to Mending Kids through his support of their fundraising and outreach events. Romina Ubillús, a past Mending Kids patient, is being honored for her resilience and inspiration in overcoming her health challenges.
Mending Kids has provided critical surgical care to 4,860 children from 70 countries, including the US, as of December 31, 2022. The organization has deployed 152 missions around the world, supporting medical communities, elevating their standards of care, and leading them on a path to surgical self-sustainment. The donations raised at the gala will help Mending Kids reach its goal of providing life-saving surgical care to its 5000th child in 2023.
Mending Kids offers three core programs: Mend US, Overseas Surgical Missions, and Individual Surgical Care. All of these programs revolve around volunteer surgical teams donating their time to provide free life-changing and life-saving surgical care to underserved children. The surgical teams also train local medical personnel to improve the standard of care and promote surgical self-sustainment in the communities they serve.
The organization's Executive Director, Isabelle Fox, said, "We realized that by providing critical surgical care to children, we were restoring their futures and affording them more birthdays for years to come. Which is the theme for this year's event. A birthday party celebrating the gift of the future."
