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Every time we assemble a mission team, we think about far more than what happens in the operating room. We think about the chemistry, who will work well together, who will connect with our patient families, and who can make the experience meaningful for everyone involved, both medical and nonmedical. For this mission, longtime Mending Kids board member Dorothy Lucey was selected to lead the team. We thought it would be nice to share El Salvador through her eyes. These are her reflections:
Mia is 3. She has pink cheeks, but blue lips and finger tips. Her heart doesn’t pump enough oxygen for her body. This beautiful toddler could have a blood clot or a stroke. Mia and her mommy took a 16-hour bus ride (16 hours, with a toddler) from Honduras to El Salvador looking for help. We took a 6-hour plane ride to provide that help. Mending Kids sent a surgeon, an anesthesiologist, a nurse, 3 cardiologists, and 3 volunteers to save Mia. And many other kids with blue lips & finger tips. Our lead cardiologist, Dr Jenny Zablah, is from El Salvador. What joy to return home, visit her parents, and save 10 lives. Dr Z and her team wear 25 pounds of lead when they are working in the Cath lab. They look like gladiators. And they are. Using X-ray technology, they basically perform open-heart surgery without opening the chest. While saving lives, they are also teaching new techniques to the local doctors. The kids feel no pain. They can finally take a deep breath, and they go home with pink lips and finger tips the next day. I was not there to perform this miracle. As mission coordinator, my job was to make sure the doctors had TP and Snickers Bars (and all the medical equipment they needed). Part of my job is playing with the kids (and praying with the parents). Mia and I spent many hours coloring. Laura and Ellen, the other two volunteers, gave out stuffed bears, love and hundreds of lollipops. People like to say mission trips are life-changing. I call them (absolutely no pun intended) heart-changing.
I went to El Salvador because a piece of my heart is there. Thirteen years ago, I was asked to be a host mom. When Mending Kids brings a child to the US, the host mom is the “mom” (also nurse & Uber driver) while the child recovers from surgery. My family was asked to host Sandra, a 12-year-old from El Salvador. Immediately we said yes. Then on PCH, on my way to the airport to pick her up, I had a (mild) panic attack. I told God (like he didn’t know) that my Spanish sucked & I was no nurse. I asked for a sign that I could do this. The sky lit up with fireworks. Since it wasn’t the 4th of July, I took it as my sign. Moments later, I got a flat tire, so mixed messages. The first place I took Sandra was a gas station. She had never been in a car before (& they sent her to LA)! She was with us for four months. Thankfully, my son’s Spanish was excellent. He wasn’t home the day she asked for salchicha. I had to phone a friend to learn my girl wanted a hot dog, Sandra healed beautifully from 2 surgeries. After endless hours of Barbie and 2 trips to Disneyland, I sent her home. Two years later I volunteered on a mission to El Salvador. Sandra stayed with me. We both volunteered at the hospital. But then…for 10 years, nothing. I didn't know if she was alive or dead. One day, there was a Facebook request! She was a happy, healthy 25-year-old mommy of two, who had a phone & WiFi! I went from wondering about her to getting daily photos. When Isabelle asked me to lead this mission in El Salvador, I was honored & thrilled. Sandra and her 2 kids took a 3-hour bus ride to meet me in San Salvador. We spent 3 days together. There were hugs, tears, and Barbie tea parties with her daughter. Each year, Mending Kids has a hike to raise money and awareness. We walk 5 miles because that’s how far many of our family members have to go to find me medical care. When I hike this year, I’ll be thinking about my Sandra, who took a 3-hour bus ride with 2 kids to see me. And I’ll think about Mia’s mommy. 16 hours on a bus with a toddler. But a toddler who will now live a full life. Mia is a mended kid.
Hike 2 Mend - save the date - 10.03.2026
Dear Friends,
Over the years, Mending Kids has had the privilege of caring for more than 6,100 children from 78 countries, and countless more through the skills, knowledge, and mentorship shared by our medical volunteers. But today, I'm thinking about the people who brought them to us. This Father's Day, I'm thinking about the dads. Not the ones in greeting cards. The ones we meet in hospital hallways and crowded waiting rooms. The fathers who sit quietly at a child's bedside while the rest of the family is somewhere far away. The fathers fighting language barriers, trying to understand something terrifying. The fathers who sell possessions, take extra jobs, save for months, and travel impossible distances to do whatever is necessary to give their child a chance. The fathers who hold it together. And sometimes, the fathers who don't know how to hold it together at all. I've learned through this work that love often looks a lot like showing up. Showing up when you're exhausted. Showing up when you're afraid. Showing up when you don't have the answers. Showing up because your child needs you. Every day, our teams meet mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, and caregivers who would move mountains for the children they love. This Father's Day, we want to recognize the fathers among them. Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for your faith. Thank you for showing up. And thank you for trusting us with the children you love. From all of us at Mending Kids, Happy Father's Day. With gratitude, Isabelle Fox Executive Director
Dear Friend,
More than twenty years ago, Mending Kids was born after a little girl lost her life because she couldn't access the care she needed in time. Since then, more than 6,100 children from 78 countries have received life-saving or life-changing care through our programs. Every one of those children matters. But lately, I've found myself thinking about the children we can't count. The child in Tanzania whose heart was repaired by a physician we helped train. The child in Nicaragua whose procedure was performed by a local team that once relied on visiting specialists. The child we'll never meet, cared for by a surgeon, cardiologist, anesthesiologist, nurse, dentist, or therapist who learned a new skill because a Mending Kids volunteer took the time to mentor, teach, and invest in them. Those children aren't reflected in our statistics. For years, we have been so focused on getting teams where they were needed, stretching every donor dollar, training local providers, and caring for children, that we haven't invested enough in measuring the wake of this work. Yet that wake is enormous. It's the hundreds of children treated each year by providers whose skills were strengthened through partnership, mentorship, and shared experience. It is the ripple effect of knowledge transferred, confidence gained, and local capacity built. For years, we measured our impact one child at a time. And we should have. Every child mended matters. But what we've come to understand is that the surgery is often only the beginning of the story. Behind every child treated is a physician learning a new technique, a nurse gaining confidence, a team tackling a more complex case, or a hospital taking another step toward caring for its own patients. The child is why we come. The knowledge exchanged is what remains after we leave. As the landscape of global health continues to shift, organizations like Mending Kids are being called to do more than provide care. We are being asked to strengthen local expertise, support long-term partnerships, and create opportunities for providers to learn from one another in ways that continue long after a mission ends. The truth is, this has been our direction for years. Today, together with our hospital partners, ministries of health, volunteer medical teams, academic institutions, industry supporters, and donors, we are helping experienced teams take the next step while supporting emerging programs that show tremendous promise. We are investing in mentorship, training, and knowledge exchange, creating opportunities for providers to learn from one another across regions, specialties, and borders. What excites me most is that this work has never depended solely on us. It depends on local providers, local leaders, local institutions, and a community of partners who believe that every child deserves a chance. Our role is to bring those people together, accelerate progress, and support the work long after a mission ends. We are standing at a crossroads. The first twenty years were about proving what was possible. The next twenty years are about multiplying impact in ways we have only begun to understand. If this vision resonates with you, I hope you'll consider helping us build what comes next. Together, we are Mending Kids. With gratitude, Isabelle Fox Executive Director Mending Kids
Dear Friend,
Thanks to the advocacy of friends and supporters, Victor came to us over a decade ago for care he would not have otherwise had access to. His mother, Nancy, reached out to us this week. In her own words: “I’m Nancy from Kenya. My son Victor is a beneficiary of Mending Kids. I just wanted to give a lot of gratitude for the good work that you do. Reaching out to families and helping not only mend the kids but the entire family. Our hearts are ever full of gratitude.” She also shared that Victor recently graduated. These are the kinds of updates that give wind to our sails. We do this for moms like Nancy, who carry the long wait, the uncertainty, and the hope that their child will be okay. Not every mom gets flowers. Some just want their child to be healthy. If Mother’s Day is on your mind, you can honor someone in your life by extending that to another mom. We’ll make sure they know.
Dear Friends,
This is what you made possible in 2025. More than 400 children received life-changing surgical care across 22 missions in 19 countries. Behind each number is a child who can now live without pain, breathe easier, and have a chance at a healthier future. But this work doesn’t stop when a mission ends. In 2025, we continued to work side by side with local providers, building the skills and systems needed so care continues long after we leave. From regional colorectal training in East Africa to advancing cardiac care through septostomy training and partnerships like the Philippine Heart Center, this is how access grows and impact multiplies. Closer to home, our Hometown Mission brought critical dental and surgical care to children with special needs in Southern California, families who often face years-long waitlists or no access at all. In a single day, children received comprehensive care that otherwise may never have been possible. This work is powered by people.
Then there are the children, like Haila and Keyla, whose lives changed because this community refused to accept that care was out of reach. As we mark 20 years of Mending Kids, we’re expanding programs, strengthening local capacity, and continuing to reach children who are still waiting, because what happens after we leave matters. We invite you to explore the full report and see what you’ve made possible. With gratitude, The Mending Kids Team
For years, Dr. Michael Womack of St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho, has supported a group of cardiologists across Central America, providing the safety net and mentorship they needed to build something of their own. That support wasn’t just about showing up for missions. It meant creating opportunities for connection and learning across borders. When Dr. Womack traveled to Panama, cardiologists from Managua joined. When he was in Managua, colleagues from Costa Rica were brought in. The goal was always the same: to create a network that could support itself long after we stepped back. Are we there yet? Not quite, but we’ve made it to first base. Over the years, we showed up to do what we could with what they had. Sometimes that meant moving from one hospital to another in search of a working cath lab. Sometimes it meant working with aging equipment and limited supplies. But every trip built toward something bigger. The government took notice. They invested in the training of an additional pediatric cardiologist, who has just returned from Mexico to work alongside Dr. Cristhian Ramirez, whom we have supported for years. They also invested in something even more fundamental, a dedicated cath lab. Last year, we were honored to be the first visiting team invited to use it at Hospital Infantil Manuel de Jesús Rivera “La Mascota” in Managua. This week marked a milestone. The team at La Mascota performed their first case entirely on their own. This is what progress looks like. Welcome to the present.
We’re proud that Mending Kids has played a small part in this journey, supporting not just individual cases, but the long-term work of building local capacity so that care continues when we are not there. It hasn’t been easy. Nothing worthwhile ever is. But this is the work, showing up consistently, building trust, and supporting teams as they grow into independence. We look forward to being back in Managua next month to continue supporting them on this path. This upcoming trip will also focus on echocardiography training, helping ensure that repairs are guided by the clearest possible roadmap and that patients are supported throughout their healing journey. If you’d like to support our upcoming Nicaragua mission, we invite you to join us. To the many futures being restored. Together, we are Mending Kids. Isabelle Fox Executive Director
Dear Friend, Thank you for being part of this year’s Imagine Gala, Shine On. This marks the 21st year of Mending Kids, and Saturday night was a reminder of what’s possible when people come together around this work. Whether you were in the room or supporting from afar, you were part of it. Because of this community, more children will receive the surgical care they need in the months ahead. Over the past year, we completed 22 missions, helping about 400 children directly and reaching thousands more through training and education. It’s a lot for a small team, and it only works because people continue to stand with us. Thank you to our sponsors and honorees, Abbott, Tia Carrere, Bob Blumer, and Kate Zankowicz, and to our board and gala committee, who put so much behind the scenes to make the evening happen. Together, we are Mending Kids. With gratitude, Isabelle Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors
Dear Friends, Our online auction is open through Friday, March 30, at 6:00 PM, and every bid helps us mend more children. If you weren’t able to join us in person, we hope you’ll consider participating online. What a beautiful evening we shared at Imagine Gala: Shine On. Thank you for being part of it. Because you showed up, a child will receive the critical surgical care they deserve. We were honored to celebrate Abbott, Tia Carrere, Bob Blumer & Kate Zankowicz, and the impact this community makes possible. Together, we are Mending Kids. With gratitude, Isabelle Mending Kids Sponsored By
Dear Friend, This past month, something pretty extraordinary happened. Across five countries, Mending Kids teams showed up with one shared goal: to give children access to surgical care they would not otherwise receive. In just a few short weeks, 139 children were mended. Not numbers. Not cases. Kids who can now breathe more easily, heal, and move toward the futures they deserve. From Cambodia to Vietnam, Paraguay to Guatemala to Ghana, our US-based volunteer medical teams deployed across the world to provide care, train local providers, and help build a stronger future for children in need.
In Cambodia, Dr. Lia Jacobson led a two-week ENT mission, performing complex airway surgeries and working side by side with local doctors. Together, they did more than treat patients; they shared knowledge that will continue long after the team has gone home. That same spirit carried into Vietnam, where early conversations are already underway to build a dedicated airway program. Because this work is not just about a single mission, it is about what continues when we leave. In Ghana, 12 children received life-saving cardiac care. Twelve families who now get more time, more birthdays, more everything.
In Paraguay, 15 children born with colorectal conditions received specialized surgeries that are rarely accessible. For their families, this was not just care; it was a turning point.
In Guatemala, nearly 100 children were treated in a single week, supported not only by medical professionals but by teen volunteers from De Toledo High School stepping into service in a meaningful way.
And here at home, one young patient traveled all the way from Cameroon to receive care through our partners at Shriners Children's. Different countries. Different specialties. One shared purpose. This work only happens when people come together, surgeons, nurses, partners, volunteers, foundations, and a community of supporters who believe that where a child is born should never determine whether they have access to life-saving care. And that brings us to this moment. As we gather around the impact of this past month at our Imagine Gala, this is what we are celebrating. Not just an evening, but the ripple effect it creates, the missions it makes possible, the children it reaches, and the systems it helps build. Because every time we say yes to a child, it is because someone, somewhere, said yes to Mending Kids. 139 children were mended this month. Thank you to our Imagine Gala sponsors
You love her. We adore her. And she’s back. Dorothy Lucey returns to host this year’s Mending Kids Imagine Gala, Shine On. Longtime board member, fierce advocate, host mom, and occasional candy dispenser. And this is your last chance to join us. Ticket sales close tomorrow, March 11. On Saturday, March 21st, we’ll gather at the Skirball Cultural Center with friends who believe that a child’s life should not depend on where they are born. Many of your fellow supporters have already secured their seats, and we would love for you to be there too. This special evening would not be possible without the incredible support of our sponsors and our dedicated gala committee, whose generosity, creativity, and hard work help bring this night to life. This year, we are honored to recognize:
Auction Sneak Peek
And yes, the auction is pretty spectacular.
Ticket sales close tomorrow. Join us. Because one night really can mend many. Thank you to our amazing sponsors!
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Mailing Address:
Mending Kids 21255 Burbank Blvd, Ste 120 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 General Inquiry: Phone: 818-843-6363 Email: [email protected] |
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Mending Kids is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization registered in California, United States of America.