My BIG Birthday Wish!

I've decided that this year what I really want most for my birthday is for each of you who are able, to make a donation to my favorite charity, HandReach. One reason I care so much about HandReach is that they provide medical services, most specifically prosthetic limbs, to children in China. I want to give the gift of mobility to these young amputees--because I know all-too-personally just how much easier life can be with a good-fitting prosthesis!

My friend Brecken of HandReach sent me the following message after learning of my plan to solicit donations:

Jana, you rock!!! I was offline all day today, only to log in and find a bunch of lovely donations from your friends. Now I feel like it's HandReach's birthday, too! :)

I'd like to designate this money to a special cause. We're going to be providing prostheses this summer for a 12-year-old girl who lost both legs in the Sichuan earthquake last year. We just learned this morning that there was a fire in her temporary camp overnight, and her house and first set of prostheses burned. We're planning to get her a set of even better prostheses, and plenty of excellent rehab. Her name is Huang Meihua (pronounced "Hwahng May-hwa"), and you can see her photos here [note: link fixed!]

Happy, happy, happy birthday, Jana! I can't thank you enough for thinking of HandReach! You are giving the gift that will truly keep on giving....

For those of you who would like to join in my birthday wish, you can donate directly via this page. And do feel free to pass the link forward to anyone outside of this blog's sphere who might also want to contribute to this worthy cause.

And for those of you who have already donated...your generosity amazes me. Thank you so much for making my birthday the best one ever!