#Love4LexiTO: Let's Lend Lexi a Helping Hand.

As you all know I love lending a hand to individuals and charities. Today I would like to share with you the opportunity to help a little girl. Her name is Lexi and she could use our support. Let’s help Lexi. #luv4LexiTO Lexi is a stunningly gorgeous 15-year-old ballerina from Calgary who loves nothing more than to spread her wings on stage. She has been diagnosed with a bone tumour in her skull, an even more rare nerve dystrophy and is believed to have an undiagnosed genetic mutation. In excruciating pain, unable to eat and her internal organs at risk of shutting down, Lexi remains in Alberta’s Children’s Hospital. Lexi urgently needs to be transferred to Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital. The family’s monthly medical bills are soaring and the family can no longer afford to pay the thousands of dollars every month needed for medication. The costs to get her to Toronto accompanied by medics are incredulous. Lexi and her family need our help. A Toronto-based group of Twitter friends have come together to organize #luv4lexiTO to raise funds to help Lexi and her family cover the costs of mounting debts and save Lexi’s life. Here’s how you can help: Chocolate Cherry Pink Pearls of Hope for Lexi. Purchase pink chocolate pearls and ChocolaChocola will generously donate 100% to #luv4lexi. $15 for 200 grams. **Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery Make a donation. For every $10 donation made on behalf of #luv4lexi, we will give you a raffle ticket to win a special gift basket donated by ChocolaChocola. The draw will be held on Jan. 28 at 3 p.m. Donations can be made through paypal, sending an email money transfer to karensnider@hotmail.com, or send a cheque payable to Karen Snider to 112-50 Merchant Lane, Toronto, M6P4J6. Who wouldn’t want chocolate for a year? Anyone who donates more than $1000 will receive the special gift of “Chocolate of the month” from ChocolaChocola. Donations can be made through paypal, sending an email money transfer to karensnider@hotmail.com, or send a cheque payable to Karen Snider to 112-50 Merchant Lane, Toronto, M6P4J6. Get fit and help Lexi! On Jan. 28, we will be hosting a yoga class and a pilates class at Yoga Yoga East. Each class costs a $25 donation. To RSVP, please reserve your ticket on paypal. You must pay in advance in order to secure your spot in the class. Lexi’s Story In 2011, Lexi was diagnosed with a rare bone tumor in her skull that has caused an even more rare nerve dystrophy in her head called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS/RSD) Usually found in the arm or leg CRPS causes excruciating debilitating pain that is untouched by narcotics. There is no treatment for CRPS of the cranial nerves. Lexi has multi system issues. She is believed to have an undiagnosed mutation of the cryopyrin gene that has left her allergic to her internal organs. She becomes covered in painful rashes and struggles to take breaths. Her body spasms and her jaw locks. Her skin splits and bleeds. Her hearing is so sensitive breathing around her makes her cry. Every movement or trauma causes more pain. She can no longer eat and is currently being tube fed in the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Lexi is currently awaiting transfer to Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital to meet with specialists and genetic immunologists who may be able to save her life. Lexi’s mother, Jessica Taylor, has had to stop working in order to care for Lexi and stay with her in the hospital. The family has exhausted their savings in order to pay for thousands of dollars in medications for Lexi that insurance will not cover. In addition, the family is struggling to find a way to transfer Lexi to Toronto and may be required to pay for a commercial flight and the cost of accompanying medics and medical supplies. It is critical that Lexi remain under medical care because her heart rate and overall condition are extremely vulnerable.  Please lend a hand, even $10.00 can help Lexi and her family.  Ways you can support Lexi:

$10 Donation $10.00 CAD $20 Donation $20.00 CAD $50 Donation $50.00 CAD $100 Donation $100.00 CAD Chocola Pearls of Hope $10.00 CAD Pilates (jan.28) $25.00 CAD Yoga (jan.28) $25.00 CAD Chocolate for a year! $1,000.00 CAD

OrphanageTO

Toronto- Pikto Gallery, 55 Mill Street October 27th 2011, Nzirambi Education Fundraiser.

Event night came and it was an absolute success. The venue was packed, people were bidding on the silent auction items, raffle tickets were sold and we even had a spontaneous bidding war over a last minute donation from Arlene Dickinson!
The social media community really pulled together to locate and have items donated for the silent auction, then again to spread the word about the event and online ticket purchases. It was pretty amazing to see SoMe (Social Media) peeps band together for the SoGood (Social Good)!

I had the opportunity to meet and work with the other volunteers and they are all amazing in their own way. The event wouldn't have been such a success with out them. I felt honoured to be granted the opportunity to participate. I wish I could have done more but, as it turns out the volunteers involved brought their "A-Game" and it made all the difference!

Not only was it a wonderful night out but, the Event raised $10,500.00 that evening. How awesome is that?

Organizers of the event have posted a "Thank-you" blog post for the participants of #OrphanageTO
You can feel the emotion - they joy the organizers feel regarding the success of the event.

#OrphanageTO - you rock! Hope to be a part of #OrphanageTO2 next year ;)
I've created a list of Organizers, sponsors, volunteers and attendees on twitter. Follow the list or individuals, so many great people and brands.

Special thanks to the organizers: Sandra Brunner (@wallabina), Sylvie Labosse (@sylvieintoronto), Monica Kahindo (@monicakahindo) and Karen Snider (@karensnider)

The photos below we're taken and provided by Ardean Peters (@photosbyardean)

Pikto Art Gallery the evening of the event.

Arto Yuzbasiyan's Limited Edition Watercolour Print:  Queen Street

Tweet this event: #OrphanageTO

That's me selling raffle tickets :D Sue and I sold $1000 worth. Good Job Sue!

This is Brian Pieters. He is the photographer who traveled to Uganda to take the wonderful photos of the children in the Nzirambi Orphans Talent Development Centre. Thank you Brian.