Everyone, meet baby Leah. Isn't she beautiful?
Do you remember me telling you about my college friends who decided to make a difference and founded the Preemptive Love Coalition? Well, Leah is a little friend of theirs. Leah is from Iraq, a place where "Saddam Hussein’s 281 chemical attacks and experiments on the Kurds of northern Iraq contribute to the high rate of life-threatening heart disease among children in the region today". (That's what the Preemptive Love Coalition found when they got all Erin Brockovich in Iraq.) Leah also has Down's Syndrome, which makes her a tough case and an otherwise low-on-the-list recipient of a surgery that can save her life.
Leah needs heart surgery. Soon.
So? you say. (Yawn.) Lots of people in lots of places needs lots of things. Don't bother me with this today.
But what if today's THE day you go from being ordinary to being a life saver?
Here's the deal. Over 3,000 people read this blog every day. As much as I try not to bombard you with ads, sponsors, frantic support requests, etc., I do have a favor: if you've ever read and enjoyed this blog... if My Messy, Thrilling Life has ever made you smile... or think... or sob... or crack up... or introduced you to a good book or site or adventure, would you consider helping? Kinda by way of saying thanks?
You'll be saving a life, after all. Leah's life. That's no small thing.
So. We need to come up with $3,000 to pay for Leah's heart surgery through the Preemptive Love Coalition. The surgery would be slated for July... and who knows. I may even head over there and introduce you to her myself. In the meantime...
Give $1. One dollar. You'll hardly miss it. And if all the folks who hang out here will do that, together we can give Leah a new heart - we can give this helpless baby girl a hope and a future.
Donate $1 by clicking below. It's handled by PayPal and is private, secure, and super easy. Also, feel free to check out my friends and their organization, Preemptive Love Coalition, by clicking here.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. -Brin
Just a note: donating via PayPal/ChipIn means you automatically get a pretty receipt for your records. If a write-off receipt for tax purposes is important to you, consider donating directly to Preemptive Love Coalition. Visit their site here and be sure and let them know it's for Leah. Thanks!
9 comments:
Thanks, Brin. Keep us posted. I love your blog and your loving and caring nature.
I have 3 brothers with Down Syndrome and I just want to say thank you for what you are doing to try and help this little precious one. Blessings!
Three thousand dollars?? How can that be? My husband had heart surgery and the hospital stay alone was $53,000!!!! With no complications!. wow.
Thanks, y'all. :D
Elenka - you're right, the surgery costs much more than $3,000. But after exhausting all the breaks and resources that Preemptive Love Coalition gets (has), and after the family does what they can, if anything, that's how much Leah needs for surgery. That's where we come in. :)
We are so so excited about this. I can't wait to go and tell Leah's mom Zamina how all of these people in America are helping Leah get her surgery. They too are gathering all they can for her surgery and we are happy to be able to make it happen.
btw, Elenka, health care in the states is so expensive. We send the children to a brand new Johns Hopkins hospital in Istanbul where they are operated on by an excellent Turkish cardiologist (from the Texas Heart Institute) who donates his time and we pay much less than what hospitals charge in the states.
We are all working together to make this happen and you guys are bringing the reality closer with each $ you give.
So happy to be partnering with you all!
Jessica from PLC
Brin, I have so enjoyed your blog over the years & it has inspired me & my own blog ! So I am happy to donate today for little Leah, a small token 'thank you' for all the joy your blog has brought me over the years. You are a wonderful person, & I wish you all good things in your life.
Lynda, in the foothills of Kilimanjaro, East Africa
Hey Brin,
Left some money for that precious litle Leah. Haven't read in a couple of days. Sorry I am late!
Cathy
I don't always get to read every post but I'm glad I stumbled on this one... I just texted a link to several of my friends who I think would lend a hand, a dollar, and a prayer... Hoping and knowing all the money will be raised!
Hi Brin,
I am chipping in for little Leah. My dear father was taken to the hospital Thursday evening for congestive heart failure and will be having a ICD implanted on Monday. Just so thankful to God for my precious Christian father and I am donating in honor of him!!
Blessings~
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