By Sandy Kemper | Smiles Forever Founder and Consultant
Not only is this lucky Bolivian girl pretty in pink, but she is also "famous for my smile" and perfect for a Smiles Forever poster child. We will be checking on her again this April when our research team returns to the village of Chapare. She and her schoolmates have received toothbrushes and initial dental care instructions, and we will find out how well she is doing preventing cavities.
Doctor Duffin has spearheaded our study of a cavity sealant used to save teeth. Here I am pictured with this wonderful, caring dentist and author on a recent trip to the Chapare region school. I will again return to serve with our Smiles Forever team, including several of our dental hygienist tooth fairy volunteers, this April.
This next photo shows how well our portable cot-like dental chair works in the field. Some of our young patients require more extensive dental help. In this poor region and in all of Bolivia, we have observed dietary deficiencies which affect dental health. It is so important that our work continues with your help. Whether you have just discovered our project on GlobalGiving, or are a long-time supporter, you may be assured your contribution does so much to improve lives. No child should suffer the pain of tooth decay and the embarrassment of tooth loss, just because no dental care was available. We hope to continue with serving this community for a minimum of three more years.
April is a wonderful time to show your support by donating to GlobalGiving's Little by Little campaign which begins at 6:00 a.m. Seattle time on Monday April 8th and concludes a minute before 9:00 p.m. Seattle time on Friday April 12th. New this year is an additional 10% matching bonus for Superstar organizations like Smiles Forever. This means that your donations up to $50 will be matched at 60%. Please join us and help us meet the minimum requirement of 10 donors and $1,000. Then we will be eligible for additional prizes. Now that the GlobalGiving housekeeping fee has been reduced to 8%, your donations go even further to support the work you believe in.
Looking ahead to fall festivities: Save Saturday November 9th for a fun time supporting Smiles Forever's work of 19 years and our year as a recipient of the health prize for World of Children. This year we will feature Justin Timm, a dynamic, friendly auctioneer who hails from down Portland way. Expect to share the joy and anti-pasta platters and so much more in Touch of Tuscany style.
I so look forward to visiting our research project again and I am excited for the opportunity to get an update on Smiles Forever's unofficial "Famous for My Smile" poster child. I will be talking with many other poster children, so fortunate to own a toothbrush and be selected to experience what will start a lifetime of better dental health. Thank you everyone!
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