Helping Kids Heal One Step at a Time
CURE volunteer hikes the Appalachian Trail to fund more surgeries.
News | 20 Sept 2024
Dr. Jodi Klein is a former CURE volunteer who owns and operates a physical therapy center in Massachusetts. But for 188 days this year, every step she took was dedicated to helping kids heal.
Taking a sabbatical from her practice, Jodi fulfilled a lifelong dream: hiking the entire 2,197-mile Appalachian Trail. She began her six-month trek in early March and finished in mid-September, crossing 14 states from Georgia to Maine.
But Jodi’s steps weren’t just about reaching a personal goal. She made her hike even more meaningful by choosing to support CURE—and raised over $10,000 to help children in need of surgery for life-limiting disabilities such as clubfoot, cleft lip/palate, knock knees, bowed legs, and hydrocephalus. Jodi captured her hike in video diaries she posted on her YouTube channel so others could follow her journey and give to support the children so near to her heart.
“At CURE, it was wonderful to see the changes that children experienced after they had their surgeries,” Jodi shares. “When I decided to hike the Appalachian Trail as a sabbatical, I wanted a strong ‘why’ in doing this. My strong why was let’s raise money for these kids because it’s transforming what happens for these children (after surgery) when they can walk normally and play with their friends.”
Jodi’s hiking journey may be over, but hundreds of kids at CURE hospitals throughout Africa and the Philippines are still waiting to start their life-changing surgery journeys. Click here to provide a child with the surgery they need to walk into their future disability-free!
“If you feel moved to donate, please do!” she said in one of her videos. “For those who have supported me with prayers and good wishes, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. Your encouragement and kind words and prayers inspire me!”
How You Can Support Jodi and CURE:
- Check out Jodi’s journey on YouTube.
- Give a gift in Jodi’s honor that goes toward helping kids heal.
- Learn how you can start a fundraiser that changes lives for children in need.
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