Do you remember Gong Li? We posted about her back in March 2010 on our blog and FaceBook page. She is the beautiful little girl living at Swallows Nest Children's Home in China who has never been able to walk unaided due to a birth defect on her left leg. Both of her thighs are shorter and disproportionate to her 4 year old body. However, her left leg is the most affected: she has no lower thigh, knee or calf.
In March, we were able to provide her with a walker that improved her mobility. Today we are THRILLED to share the most current news about her and just in time for Global Giving Bonus Day, tomorrow, Wednesday June 16th.
Gong Li is truly a lucky little girl, having received generous support in the past, but now she is being given the opportunity of a lifetime. Through our work in the US and our partnership with Swallow's Nest in China, Gong Li will be coming from to the US to stay for a year and receive medical care including surgery, a prosthetic leg and physical therapy. She has a foster family ready to travel to China to bring her here and take care of her through all of her procedures and therapy.
The surgery and prosthesis will allow Gong Li to do something she has never done before: walk unaided. For the majority of her life she has crawled on the floor or walked with the help of a loved one, a stool or now a walker. With the increased mobility, she'll be better able to complete the tasks of everyday living on her own as well as run and play just as other girls her age. What a blessing for this little one!
Our current fundraising needs to make this a reality for Gong Li are minimal at this time:
- $3,400 - airfare for both Gong Li and her foster father
- $1,000 - prescriptions
- $250 - lodging in China (most lodging is prearranged with Chinese friends)
- $200 - ground transportation in China
- $200 - medical visa fees
- $250 - unforeseen
Imagine: $5,300 can transform this little girl's life.
And the best part about it is that tomorrow is Global Giving Bonus Day. In short, that means that all donations received through The Red Thread's project on GlobalGiving.org will be matched at 50% up to $1,000 per person / per project!
If enough Red Thread supporters donate, we can transform this little girl's life for $2,650! Please consider making a donation through Global Giving so we can make this a reality for Gong Li. You can make your donation by following this link: Gong Li. (Please note that the link provided takes you to a project for spina bifeda surgery. Gong Li is included in this project.)
Remember, your donation works twice as hard on Wednesday June 16th! But you can make a contribution in Gong Li's name at any time. Please share this information with friends and family. Together, we can make a difference.
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