A big thank you to the Rose Foundation for donating a suite to the Little Heroes Foundation for the Utah Jazz vs. Sacramento Kings game on January 28. LHF was able to invite the families of Gavin and Mekhai (pictured below) to attend the game.
Gavin and Mekhai are the best of friends and they had a wonderful time dancing to the music and watching the basketball game. It was a treat to meet their families and watch their kids enjoy the atmosphere of the basketball game.
There is something magical about the combination of helping others while receiving nothing tangible in return that gets into your soul and takes you on a magical journey.
Jessica Braithwaite is a mother of five, lives in Highland, Utah, and has been on many magical journeys throughout her life.
I met Jessica four years ago as she volunteered at my annual basketball camp. She was busy helping children sign up, get their T-shirts, name tags and welcome them to camp.
It didn’t take me long to see she was swallowed up in the joy of service.
When I asked her about the importance of service, Jessica said, “It is such a gift to have the opportunity to serve, you can’t help someone else without helping yourself.”
Jessica, who now works for the Little Heroes Foundation, recently flew to Nepal, leaving her family behind, and helped open a health clinic.
Situated between India and China, Nepal is the poorest country in Asia. With an estimated 30 million people living there, many Nepalese people live on $1 a day or less and 85 percent of the people have no access to health care.
Jessica went to Nepal in November 2011. She spent one week in Nepal, walking hours and hours to provide free health services to people in rural areas. She rode elephants, met amazing people and coordinated the official opening of the Sunshine Heroes Health Clinic, named after the Little Heroes Foundation and its founding sponsor, Nature’s Sunshine Products in Provo.
On Dec. 22nd Little Heroes Foundation was showcased on KSL Channel 5 of Utah.
Go to our you Tube Channel or Click here to watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wd_NC9biyc&context=C3977724ADOEgsToPDskI0YSHRIsDxJ7N5wYqCjPKt
We invite you to take part in the Little Heroes Foundation Christmas project to benefit local children and families
In conjunction with the Shadow Light Foundation, Little Heroes has received names of children and families in need this Christmas.
With the help of local companies, families and individuals who will generously purchase items for individual children, LHF will be able to provide clothing, bedding, food, a few small gifts and other household needs for these families. It is our way of providing a small holiday miracle to so many children in need. We hope you will consider joining in our efforts and make this part of your family’s holiday celebrations.
Families and individuals can participate by picking up ornaments from the Hero Tree (located in our office at 3585 N. University Ave #325 in Provo) BEFORE December 9 or by emailing annie@herowithin.org to receive an entire family to purchase items for Monetary donations are accepted.
Questions should be directed to Annie at 801.377.1423
WATERLOO, Iowa — Last Christmas Oliver Palmer told his parents he felt as important as the president of the United States when hundreds of cards came to the family’s home wishing him a happy holiday.
Now, the family and their friends are hoping a similar outpouring will help lift the 10-year-old’s spirits once again. A Nov. 2 MRI showed the inoperable brain tumor Oliver was first diagnosed with on Dec. 23, 2009, had started growing again.
“He is aware that it is not long,” Ed Palmer, Oliver’s father said.
Stacy Palmer, Oliver’s mother, posted the call for cards on the family’s blog that same night. She said Oliver told her he had only touched one person’s life: a little boy he had given a McDonalds toy to.
“Ollie said it made him feel special inside because he was thinking of others. It made me so sad, though, to think that he really doesn’t feel like he he’s touched people’s lives,” she wrote.
Ed said they hope a final blast of cards, with short stories telling Oliver how he has touched their lives, will help “buoy him up during this time.”
A family friend is also hoping that some families will make a small fleece-tie blanket in kid’s prints and bright colors that Oliver and his family can deliver to children still in the hospital.
“He’s just not seeing that he has touched people’s lives and for him to get that outpouring … he goes to that next chapter full of faith and full of hope. For me, that is something I would love to see,” Ed said.
Cards and blankets can be sent to Oliver Palmer, 417 Oaklawn Ave., Waterloo, Iowa. 50701.
The Little Heroes Foundation’s public relations specialist, Sharee Olsen, had a baby boy on October 10th, 2011. Beau James Olsen was born at 12:57pm and weighed 5 lbs 15 oz. Congratulations to Sharee and her husband Beau, Sr.
Thanks to the BYU Athletic Department, the Little Heroes Foundation enjoyed a wonderful night in a suite at the BYU vs. San Jose State football game on Saturday night. LHF welcomed the Herd family as their special guests for the game.
The Herd’s daughter, Jaidyn has Cornelia de Lange syndrome which restricts her from swallowing. Jaidyn, however, does not let her circumstances affect her. She is very cheerful and enjoyed being at the football game. You can’t help but smile when you see Jaidyn’s smile, which she shares freely.
Jaidyn is a sweet young girl and an inspiration to the Little Heroes Foundation. We felt privileged to spend the evening with Jaidyn and her family enjoying wonderful company and learning from her positive attitude and her love for life.
Pictured here is Jaidyn and Little Heroes Founder, Travis Hansen.
Travis Hansen just retired from professional basketball at the age of 33.
A guy that young shouldn’t have done all he’s done. Since leaving Mountain View High, Utah Valley University, BYU, the NBA and a high-level lucrative career in European basketball, he’s made millions. Yet he projects himself as a regular guy with a regular home and life. If he sells his fancy car, which he vows he will do, and wears around denims with holes in the legs like he did this week, the ruse might eventually work.
“Really, I’m just a regular kind of guy,” he says.
Regular guys don’t play against LeBron James and call Houston Rockets star Luis Scola a teammate and best friend. Regular guys don’t find themselves making a global health and educational impact on tens of thousands of children from Mali to Nepal, from Moscow to Utah. Regular American blokes don’t have former Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin issue you a Russian passport.
SALT LAKE CITY — Lives can be forever changed when caring hearts are mobilized.
That was the message anchoring Tuesday’s “Breakfast for Smiles” hosted by the Operation Smile Utah Chapter. The annual event helps raise more than $125,000 to support medical missions worldwide. The breakfast at the Little America Hotel also recognized the LDS Church’s 75-year-old welfare program.
Operation Smile is an international children’s medical charity that provides free reconstructive surgery to children born with a cleft by enlisting the help of doctors and other medical professionals, along with donations from organizations and individuals, alike.
The Little Heroes Foundation was the title sponsor for the breakfast. Little Heroes was founded in 2007 by former BYU basketball star and pro player Travis Hansen and his wife, LaRee, to assist children in need in Russia and around the world. The Hansens have witnessed the power of generosity and humanitarian service.
“Any donation, big or small, can go a long way to change a child’s life,” Travis Hansen said.
