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Healing Communities, One Child at a Time: Running for Charity

March 07, 2011 - United States

A touching story from Lisa Suen, member of our Athletes for Real Medicine team, who is in the final stages of fundraising for RMF for the LA Marathon being held on March 20th.

by Lisa Suen

The holiday spirit was in full swing at Real Medicine’s Kids Holiday party at Florence Western Outreach clinic. Despite heavy rain, approximately 50 kids came ready to enjoy the holiday festivities of story-telling, dancing, cookie decorating and wreath making. The party offered a fun-filled morning for the underserved and at-risk children of south Los Angeles.

This is where I met a sweet girl by the name of Charity. She had this beautiful charm and energy about her when she introduced herself to me and volunteered to help me throughout the morning. Imagine that! This child, who the clinic runs its programs for, did not just want to enjoy the festivities, but wanted to help us! So we got busy, decorating her wreath and cookies while also helping to pass out decorations to the other kids. She was an amazing artist, as she decorated her paper wreath with a spectrum of colors. She then carefully decorated her sugar cookies and kindly offered them to me as a gift. I felt touched that this child was so giving and loving despite the environment she is growing up in.

photo: Lisa and Charity at the Holiday Party

When it was about time to wrap up our decoration projects, Charity turned to me and started crying. I asked what was wrong and she said that she knew it was time to go. She said she was having such a good time that she did not ever want to leave and that this is the place she looks forward to all the time. I reassured her that she would have the chance to come back to the clinic in a few weeks for even more fun. I gave her a hug and it broke my heart knowing that this child may not have the luxury of any of the activities we did today back at home.

Charity is the reason I’m running 26.2 miles on March 20th, 2011 and fundraising for Real Medicine Foundation’s Florence and Western Outreach clinic. A program like this can give children like Charity the opportunity for personal and social enrichment which are definitely worth supporting. After all, we are ONE community and these children are our future. Let’s help Real Medicine heal communities, one child at a time.

Consider this, your donation of…

$30 would provide arts and craft supplies for a project

$60 would provide one health and fitness workshop

$100 would provide sports equipment for 20 children

(or two physical therapy sessions)

Simply go to Lisa’s Crowdrise Fundraiser page to donate

(http://www.crowdrise.com/athletesforrealmedicine/fundraiser/lisasuen)

Thank YOU for your generous support!

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