Join me in the Race for Grace! Help us provide vital medical care to children in Haiti.

Hi, family and friends. It's Race for Grace time again. As most of you know, this is a fundraiser I support every year to help Grace Children's Hospital in Haiti. I'll be braving the heat at the Hotter 'N Hell 100 cycling event in Wichita Falls, TX, once again, helping to bring visibility to this worthy cause.

With so many other things going on at home today, I know it is challenging to focus on global health and the Haitian crisis, in particular. However, here are some very good reasons why all of us should care about the health and well-being of our international Haitian neighbors.

• Ongoing violence -- Haiti has been in an ongoing crisis for years, which, today, is exacerbated by unrelenting gang violence, displacing thousands of families. Shortages of fuel, water, and food supplies are at alarming levels.
• Widespread hunger -- More than 362,000 people are internally displaced in Haiti, with hunger and life-threatening malnutrition at an all-time high. According to Catherine Russell, UNICEF executive director, "A shocking 2 in 3 children need humanitarian aid in Haiti."
• Limited access to healthcare -- Thanks to the ongoing support of donors, Grace Children's Hospital has remained open and operational in Port-au-Prince throughout unprecedented turmoil, however other health providers haven't been so fortunate. The country has experienced multiple hospital closures and disruptions in health services. This leaves many children without access to essential care and vaccinations. According to the World Bank:
  • Over 20% of children may not reach their full physical and intellectual potential due to insufficient nutrition and healthcare, which impacts cognitive and physical growth
  • Only 78% out of 100 teenagers are expected to reach age 60, highlighting serious health and safety issues
  • Children in Haiti are estimated to achieve just 45% of their potential due to limited access to quality education and healthcare, which jeopardizes their future job prospects
• Infectious disease outbreaks -- According to the World Health Organization, Haiti documented 2672 cholera cases and 13 deaths from January to July 2024. When deadly disease outbreaks happen in other countries we are all at risk (if COVID has taught us nothing else, it should be this).

• Pediatric and Adult TB Treatment
• HIV/AIDS Counseling and Treatment Services
• General Pediatric Clinic
• State-of-the-Art Eye Clinic
• Reproductive Health Services
• Nutrition Clinic

Since 2018, Grace Children's Hospital has:

• Seen 523,638+ patient in outpatient clinics
• Performed 479,993+ lab tests
• Administered 99,516+ child vaccinations
• Treated 952+ new TB patients

This performance is truly remarkable, especially given the challenges Grace Children's Hospital -- and all of Haiti -- continue to face every day. Your dollars ensure that Grace is able to continue to keep its doors open and provide the quality care that the children and families in Haiti so desperately need.

Please donate if you are able!

Thank you so much for supporting me on this journey, Liz