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!
Dear Friends, In just a few weeks, on Saturday, March 21, we will gather for our Imagine Gala: Shine On at the Skirball Cultural Center, a night that helps make life-saving surgery possible for children who would otherwise go without it. This is a quick reminder that ticket prices increase on Friday, February 27. If you have been thinking about joining us, now is the time to reserve your seat. On March 21, we will come together to celebrate the people and partners who make this work possible, and to raise the support needed for the year ahead. This year, we are proud to honor:
Tickets and tables are available now. If you are unable to attend, sponsorships and program tributes remain a meaningful way to be part of the evening. We would love to have you with us. Together, we are Mending Kids. Special Thanks to
Dear Friends, On Saturday, March 21, we gather for the Imagine Gala “Shine On” at the Skirball Cultural Center, hosted by our longtime board member and champion, Dorothy Lucey. This is not just our annual event. It is the night that sustains the year ahead. As we mark the start of our 21st year, Mending Kids has ensured children receive the surgical care they would otherwise go without. What happens in operating rooms across Central America, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and here at home begins in this room. And we don’t just operate. We train local teams so the care continues long after we leave. This year, we are honored to recognize partners and champions whose commitment has strengthened our work in lasting ways:
The evening will include dinner, stories from the field, live and silent auctions, and the opportunity to directly support the missions and training that carry us forward. Tickets and tables are available now, with pricing increasing after February 27. If you are unable to attend, you may participate through sponsorship or a tribute in our program. This is the night that moves our mission forward. We hope you will be in the room. Together, we are Mending Kids. With gratitude, Isabelle Fox Executive Director Thanks to the support of
January 24 has become a meaningful marker in my life.
Sixteen years ago, on this date, my marriage ended. Nine years later, on that same date, I stepped into the role of Executive Director of Mending Kids. I don't believe in coincidences as much as I believe in timing, and looking back, I can see how every chapter before that moment prepared me for what came next. This month marks seven years at the helm and fifteen years with the organization overall. All of my prior career experiences, and honestly, navigating life after marriage, prepared me for this role in ways I couldn't have known at the time. The biggest lessons were simple, but not easy. Dropping the fear around asking for what you want, especially when what you want is to save a child's life. And dropping the fear around hearing the word no. The polite declines wrapped around other priorities. None of that is personal, and none of it stops the work if you sincerely believe that it isn't a judgment call and you just keep going. In the early days, I often felt alone. I was learning the role in real time, finding my footing, and working to establish myself. Over time, I realized I wasn't alone at all. There were so many people who felt the same way about this work. Once we found each other and came together, we moved mountains. Seven years of trial and error, global crises, local calamities, and doing our best to keep this good ship afloat have shown me something important. We crossed the sea. We didn't just survive the crossing. We landed. We touched new shores, built partnerships, trained doctors, and helped thousands of children reach healthier futures. As we chart a course for more crossings, I'm reminded how quickly time flies. You put your nose to the ground, work hard, and then look up and realize this is the eighth gala we're prepping for, and if you know me, the eighth time I'm recycling the centerpieces! This is my biggest responsibility, because how we do on March 21 determines how far we can stretch and how far our programs will reach in the year ahead. I'm happy to say that last year, we had a hand in 22 missions, along with several international training workshops that brought doctors from many countries together for hands-on, practical experience. Along the way, we directly mended 400 kids, and indirectly, thousands more. Community means many things to me. First and foremost, my three kids. My friends, who have supported me so I could do this work. The Mending Kids community and our dedicated medical teams, who gave me the grace to grow into this role. And our tireless staff and board, who have stood behind the mission through thick and thin. I'm also excited to welcome three new board members this year: Eric Doerr, Molly Kenny, and Robyn Ross. Each brings life experience, perspective, and enthusiasm, and all have traveled with us on missions. I look forward to working together to open new horizons for Mending Kids. At some point, I stopped counting after personally traveling on more than 60 missions. More than 6,000 kids have now had a real shot at healthier futures. Many are grown. Some have families of their own. That perspective never gets old. It's a privilege to have an outlet for this passion, and with your support, I look forward to guiding Mending Kids into what comes next, grounded in what we've already built. All this to say, together, we are mending kids. With gratitude, Isabelle Fox Executive Director |
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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.