Posts Tagged ‘Valentines Day’

Saving A Heart on Valentine’s Day

February 12th, 2018

Valentine’s Day creates time and space to reflect on those that we love. We are taking one more step towards love and compassion this year. This Valentine’s Day, we are sponsoring a child to receive life-saving heart surgery. Learn more about the loving soul we sponsored below and how his outlook on life has completely transformed in the most positive way.

Background of our Involvement

Dr. Rick Hodes - Saving a Heart on Valentine's Day

Source: Rickhodes.org/about

Throughout the years, we’ve connected with Dr. Rick Hodes who is an American doctor who has dedicated nearly 30 years of his life serving the underprivileged in Ethiopia. Dr. Rick Hodes is a CNN Hero and JDC’s Medical Director. Dr. Rick Hodes mainly treats spine, cardiac, and cancer patients. We’ve been privileged enough to donate over the years to give back and help save lives through Dr. Rick Hodes’ work. Dr. Rick Hodes sends his patients from the Mother Teresa Clinic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to either India for cardiac surgery or to Ghana for spinal surgery. In India, heart surgery is about 10% of the price in the United States.

Samson - Saving a Heart on Valentine's Day

Whoever Saves a Life, Saves the World

Samson, pictured above, is the boy we sponsored to receive a life-saving heart surgery. He arrived in Dr. Rick Hodes’ care at age 10 from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He was born in Wello province, however his dad, a policeman, was transferred to Addis Ababa. When Samson arrived to the clinic, he was tired and weak. Samson was diagnosed as having a ventricular septal defect (VSD). VSD is a hole between the 2 ventricles of the heart. Untreated, it would lead to death. In Samson’s case, the blood flow between the 2 ventricles was revering and going from left to right (expected) to both directions (which is not supposed to happen). This would soon become irreversible. He needed corrective surgery as soon as possible. Dr. Rick Hodes put him on Viagra 3x daily to lower his pressures, and the shunt reverted to left-to-right. This gave a window of surgical opportunity.

Samson was sent to India, along with a dozen other heart patients. Samson underwent surgery to repair his heart at AIMS Amrita Hospital in Kochi, India. The surgery went well and he returned to Ethiopia after his recovery. Samson is now going to school and playing with his friends. Samson would love to play soccer and become an engineer when he grows up.

How Can You Help this Valentine’s Day?

Donate Now - Saving a Heart on Valentine's Day
Instead of buying a gift, consider making a donation on behalf of your loved one for Valentine’s Day. You can help a patient get closer to having a healthy heart. The JDC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible. Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you! We hope you spend your day with someone (or a cause) that you love.

Be my Valentine or my Galentine?

February 10th, 2016

Valentine Hearts Backdrop

Love is in the Air, Valentine

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! We’re excited to celebrate with our loved ones. Valentine’s Day is also known as Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine. Although the holiday didn’t start out about love, in 18th-century England it evolved into a day when people expressed their love to one another through presenting flowers, offering sweets, and sending each other hand written greeting cards (now known as ‘valentines’). We love trading and surprising others with Valentine’s! It’s definitely not only reserved for when we’re younger. We think the more clever, the better. So go grab your supplies and create your own unique valentine for those special someones in your life. It’s time to get creative and show your loved ones what they mean to you! & there’s no better way to do this than a homemade valentine.

Valentine Hearts 3 Love Story backdrop

No Valentine? What about a Galentine?

We affectionately love Galentine’s Day as we know our female best friends are the bees knees & perhaps our absolute favorite type of love story. This term was first coined by Parks & Recreation’s Leslie Knope, who officially made February 13th Galentine’s Day. A pre-Valentines day brunch consisting of ‘ladies celebrating ladies’. Having a gal pal to confide in, a best friend to shop with, and a partner in crime helps make our worlds go round. No matter where you live, it’s easy to find the perfect place for brunch with your girls or you can always have your girls over at your place. & remember: #NoBoysAllowed.

However you are celebrating, we hope you have a weekend full of laughter, spontaneity, love, and definitely brunch. Even though it’s only Wednesday, we’re already counting down to this weekend. There’s no shame in having something to look forward to, right?

Comment below and let us know how you plan to enjoy your weekend!

Giving Back Comes In Many Forms

February 28th, 2013

hearts3 love story 40x20

Giving back comes in many forms! February remains the month associated with love. Our CEO Ilana Goldstone paid a visit to her hairdresser as usual, however this time she felt like she needed a change and so she requested to have 5 inches cut off.  Her hairdresser found that to be quite drastic! But then Ilana had an even better idea and decided to donate 12 inches to a non-profit organization called LOCKS OF LOVE who use the hair to make wigs for children with cancer!   So you may do a double take, next time you see her!

IG_Locks_Of_Love

WHAT IS LOCKS OF LOVE?

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. We meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses we provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.

The possibilities of how you can help people in need are virtually endless because how you spend your resources or time giving back is completely up to you. What other non-conventional ways have you giving back to help someone?