WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. - s4story -- On October 16, 2021 Mending Kids will be hosting Hike2Mend. The third annual event will be held virtually and in-person at Griffith Park, Los Angeles. The fundraiser aims to address the expanding health disparity gap by giving deserving children an equal opportunity to life-changing medical care.

Hike2Mend launched in the fall of 2019, inspired by an aunt of a recipient who, in one week, traveled over 700 miles across Tanzania to save her young - orphaned - nephew who was in need of surgery for a congenital heart defect. The hike is in honor of the distance that countless parents travel to gain access to medical care for their child and for those navigating the obstacles of insurance eligibility and denials.

‍Since 2005, Mending Kids has provided free life-changing and life-saving surgical care to over 4,500 children in the United States and around the world from 68 countries. Proceeds from the event will provide free surgeries to children in the U.S.A and help support overseas volunteer medical teams to perform procedures ranging from interventional cardiology, open-heart, neuro, otolaryngology, plastic, orthopedic and general surgeries.

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To join Hike2Mend in-person: Register and hike in-person on October 16th  at Griffith Park, Los Angeles. To join virtually: Register and hike, walk, jog, run, bike, or swim anywhere, and record the distance on a smart device and share the trek on Facebook tagging @mendingkids, or on Instagram using #hike2mend.

Participants will receive Mananalu Water, Jen's Cafe Bars and Bü Sunscreen. In addition, anyone who uses the promo code: MENDINGKIDS will get 20% off purchases from all three sponsors. Hikers to complete the course will receive a Mending Kids hat and top fundraisers will be given a special gift.

High school students can earn community service hours by joining in the virtual or in-person hike.

For more information on how to register for the event or earn community service hours, visit events.mendingkids.org.

Hike2Mend would not be possible were it not for the support from sponsors. Special thanks to Chris Cortazzo and Charity on Top, Mananalu, Jen's Cafe Bars and Bü Sunscreen.

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"The big picture about the Hike2Mend and our programs in general is about shining a light on the health disparity that surrounds us; visibly and invisibly, around us and everywhere, and the social injustice that is inextricably enmeshed alongside it. Advocacy for health equity saves lives. Health frees up resources and energy for children to focus on learning and for the parents to focus on employment, affording them all the time to elevate their standards of living and reset them on a course to dream of better things." Isabelle Fox, Executive Director, Mending Kids

With the success of the 2021 Hometown Mission, 12 more children who were denied access to care are in the wings waiting for the next mission which is scheduled for late January -early February 2022.

Social media Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @mendingkids Check out our work!

About Mending Kids

Mending Kids is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization that provides free life-saving critical surgical care to children in the United States and around the world from over 68 countries by deploying volunteer medical teams and educating communities to become medically self-sustaining. Since 2005, Mending Kids has mended nearly 4,500 children. Our surgical teams donate their time and services to train and perform procedures that range from interventional cardiology, open-heart, neuro, otolaryngology, plastic, orthopedic or general surgeries.

Please contact Adrienne Johnson to schedule an interview with Dorothy Lucey, Mending Kids board member, Isabelle Fox, Executive Director of Mending Kids, or Cristina Farrut, Director Mission Services, for interviews in Spanish.