MENDING KIDS INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES FIRST ANNUAL WINGS AROUND THE WORLD GALA
to benefit children awaiting surgeries in 51 countries
(Burbank, CA – November 5, 2012) Mending Kids International (MKI) has announced its First Annual Wings Gala, to be held Saturday, November 10, 2012 from 6:00 – 10:00pm, at the Vibiana in Downtown, Los Angeles. Scheduled to present during the evening’s program, are actors: Simon Baker, Madeleine Stowe, Nia Peeples, Kim Coles, and Iron Chef Host, Mark Dacascos, with a special musical performance by actor/singer, Dominic Scott Kay. Los Angeles television personality, and MKI Board Member, Dorothy Lucey, will host the event, which is expected to be attended by 350 supporters.
The gala will feature food, drink and entertainment from the first countries in which MKI began its surgical outreach programs: Ecuador, Ethiopia and the Philippines. More about MKI’s programs in each country, is below.
Ecuador:
MKI has been traveling with renowned cardiac surgeon, Dr. Alfredo Trento and the Cedars-Sinai Surgical team, to Guayaquil, Ecuador for over a decade. In the past three years, MKI has been able to help establish a long-term surgical program with the Ecuadorian government and work with local and traveling surgeons, to perform low-cost cardiac procedures year round. Through 2011, MKI has provided a variety of complex surgeries to over 325 children.
Ethiopia:
Dr. Rick Hodes and his sister-in-law, Marla Hodes, are treasured MKI partners who work together to ensure that all Ethiopian children who require scoliosis repair, cardiac surgeries, or who have other life-threatening conditions, receive the surgeries they need. Through 2011, MKI has provided 80 children with life-mending surgeries through partnership with Dr. Hodes and the local Ethiopian Heart Center, where MKI sends cardiac surgical teams each year. Although there are many more children on the list, MKI is working closely with our partners to make strides in ongoing cardiac education to local surgeons, and finding cost-effective solutions for other pediatric patients.
Philippines:
In strong partnership with the PAL Foundation, a charitable division of Philippine Airlines, and the Manila Heart Center, MKI has been able to provide life-saving and transformational surgeries to over 120 Filipino children. Between helping children here in the U.S. at local hospitals, and providing surgical care in country, poor families in the Philippines have found hope and healing through MKI.
Proceeds from the gala will support MKI’s ongoing surgical missions and outreach in 51 countries around the world. For full details about MKI’s First Annual Wings Gala, please visit www.mendingkids.org.
About Mending Kids International: MKI is a 501(c)3 organization working to save the lives of children in over 51 countries around the world, including: Central & South America, the Caribbean, as well as throughout Africa and Southeast Asia. MKI strives to give children access to critical surgeries that they would otherwise not be able to receive, due to lack of medical or financial resources, and works to help communities create self-sustaining surgical programs. A full press kit is available at mendingkids.org
The 2012 Wings Around the World Gala is sponsored by: Warner Bros., Variety, City National Bank, Deloitte, Interstate Rehab, Clifford Swan, GrapeVine Productions, THE Magazine, THE Weekly Insider, Real Life Church, and Malibu Kidz.
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Contact: Christina Alvarez @ 818.843.6363
or christina@mendingkids.org
4100 W. Alameda Avenue, Suite 103 Burbank, CA 91505 p. 818.843.6363 f. 818.843.6365 mendingkids.org
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