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 Dear Friends, As we begin a new year, we’re grateful for this community, and for the work we continue to do together on behalf of children and families here at home and around the world. We’re also happy to welcome Sara back to the Mending Kids team after her maternity leave. Her return reminds us why our work for children and families matters so deeply. We wanted to share a few words from her as she steps back into this chapter with us. Best, Isabelle Fox Executive Director welcome back, sara!
Dear Friends of Mending Kids, After six months away, I am writing to you with a full heart and a renewed sense of purpose. This past season, I welcomed my second child, a baby girl, into the world. Because of the incredible support I received from Mending Kids, I was given something truly invaluable: time. Time to heal, to bond, to transition into motherhood once again, and to be fully present during those early, irreplaceable months of my daughter’s life. I am deeply grateful for this gift. It is not something I take lightly. As I return to my work, I do so with a heightened awareness that this experience, one rooted in stability, care, and support, is not universally shared. Not all mothers are able to step away without fear of financial strain. Not all families have access to the medical care their children need. And not all children are given the chance to heal, to thrive, or to grow into the fullness of who they are meant to be. This is why Mending Kids’ mission matters so profoundly. Every day, we work to ensure that children around the world receive life-changing surgical care, care that restores health, dignity, and hope. When a child is healed, an entire family is transformed. When a family is supported, a future is rewritten. My own journey into motherhood has only deepened my belief in this work. I see more clearly now how critical compassion, access, and community truly are, and how powerful it is when we come together to protect childhood and support families during their most vulnerable moments. Together, we can mend more than bodies; we can mend lives. With gratitude and purpose, Sara Development Manager save the date - 03.21.2026
Dear Friend, This year, more than 400 children received critical surgical care through Mending Kids. We carried out 22 missions, including our Hometown program, worked alongside over 150 medical volunteers, and logged more than 200,000 miles to reach children who otherwise would not have had access to care. These were children in urgent need of procedures to survive, heal, or live without pain. Along the way, we invested deeply in both care delivery and capacity building. From Guatemala to Hong Kong, our teams provided life-prolonging atrial septostomy training, equipping local providers with skills that will save lives well into the future. In Vietnam, we led a general surgery mission in Nha Trang, carried out by a team of former refugees and children of refugees returning during the 50th anniversary year of the fall of Saigon, a powerful reminder of the deep personal connections our volunteers bring to this work. We also helped strengthen pediatric surgical care in Ghana and advanced colorectal care through work in Paraguay and the East African Colorectal Conference. None of this happens in isolation. Our donors, foundations, corporate partners, host families, and volunteers are the bricks and mortar that holds this work together, allowing our teams to show up where they are needed most and to keep going, mission after mission. Closer to home, we carried out a Hometown mission focused on children with special needs and high sensory challenges who require full sedation just to receive basic dental care. For many families, safe treatment options simply don’t exist. Being able to step in and say yes to these children has been one of the most meaningful parts of our year. We witnessed a few miracles along the way and remain deeply grateful for our longstanding partnerships with the Philippine Heart Center in Manila, Shriners Children’s, and MemorialCare Outpatient Surgical Center Long Beach, whose collaboration and commitment continue to change lives. As we step into 2026 and our 21st year of Mending Kids, our hope is simple: that we keep showing up for one another and for our kids, and that we remember we are not doing this alone. On behalf of the board and staff, we wish you and your loved ones a very happy and healthy New Year. We are deeply grateful to have you along on this journey. Together, we are Mending Kids. With gratitude, Isabelle Fox Executive Director, Mending Kids Join Us on March 21, 2026
At the 9th World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery in Hong Kong, we had the chance to offer something that felt both practical and urgent: a hands-on atrial septostomy workshop. With support from MAP International, the Edwards LifeSciences Foundation, and the recently FDA-approved redesigned Miller Balloon, cardiologists were able to learn how to safely perform this life-prolonging procedure at the bedside with guided echo. For babies born with transposition of the great arteries (TGA), this is the difference between having hours to live and having months to reach the surgery they need to survive. Without an atrial septostomy, they simply don’t make it. Dr. Gareth Morgan from Children’s Hospital Colorado led the training, and we brought cardiologists from leading institutions across Africa, Asia, and Australia together for hands-on atrial septostomy training. Instead of traveling to each institution separately, we used the unique opportunity of the pediatric cardiac world gathering under one roof to share skills, exchange knowledge, and send these physicians home with the tools they need, literally to save the next child who arrives in crisis.
This work is part of our Training, Research, and Innovation Program, and, as our final mission of the year, it was one focused entirely on training. The babies who benefit from these interventions will still face the challenges of receiving the surgeries required to repair their congenital heart defects, but now they have the one thing they were previously denied: time. Mending Kids exists to bridge these gaps, build local capacity, and give children a fighting chance. This workshop was one more step in that direction. As we head into 2026, we’re holding these children, and the many still waiting, close in our thoughts. Together, we are mending kids Isabelle Fox Executive Director mark your calendar - 03.21.2026
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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.