Miles of Smiles
We are an active, close-knit family living in British Columbia, Canada. We lead busy lives full of various sports activities, pets and hobbies with our four children attending high school and university and working at jobs they enjoy. Our family loves spending time together whenever we have the opportunity.
Our lives were turned upside down with our oldest son's diagnosis of Burkitt's Leukemia, a very rare and aggressive form of childhood cancer. The oncology team had to move fast and hit our son's leukemia with an equally aggressive and grueling series of treatments; eight rounds of intense chemotherapy in total. This diagnosis literally tore our family in two as the only center for treatment was nearly 400 miles away from our home. Our oldest daughter transferred to UBC Vancouver to help take care of her brother while his dad, twin sister & little brother had to stay behind at home in Kelowna.
During these 10 months our son endured more blood transfusions than we could count, invasive lumbar punctures and bone marrow biopsies, as well as 11 horrific days in the Intensive Care Unit due to unforeseen complications. The doctors, nurses and staff at the BC Children's hospital were amazing, caring and supportive and our stay at the nearby Ronald McDonald House was an absolute godsend.
Our son is now fully recovered, living more vibrantly than ever before as a result of his humbling experience and our family is back together where we belong. Our lives have been forever changed however as a result of the unexpected and stunning outpouring of love we received during our trials. Not only family and friends showed up to support us, but also perfect strangers stepped forward in kindness. The love and care that surrounded us in various forms left us with a desire to do the same for others during their time of need. This is where Miles of Smiles was born.
During a family trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, we were blessed to be able to help bring and share clothing, toys & toiletries and serve at the Mision Cristiana in Carribe Bajo. It was easy to see that this was the poorest area of Cabo San Lucas, such a distinct contrast from the rich tourist areas along the Baja coast. It was obvious to us that there was a need that we could fill. These children, unable to afford to see a dentist for even a simple cleaning could receive free dental care through our Miles of Smiles program. Cavities, pain and infections when untreated can make life unbearable and miserable for these children.
It is our personal goal to treat children unable to afford dental care in the Cabo San Lucas area and to prevent such discomfort in the hopes of ensuring glowing happy smiles on their sweet faces! It is our wish that every child in our care is given training on how to properly care for their teeth, and a colorful and personalized gift package filled with their very own toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, sugar free gum and chapstick as well as a Miles of Smiles t-shirt of their very own.
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Miles of Smiles...
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Changing Lives,
One Smile At A Time!
