So this is something that has been in the back of my mind since seeing a fundraising effort on a friend’s page on Facebook. For some reason I have a hard time asking for people to “like” my business page on Facebook. Promoting myself doesn’t really come naturally and I’ve always been a little concerned about bugging people with too many posts and too much pleading for “fans!” But if I make it for a good cause and not so much about me it feels easier and more legitimate. 😉
Some years ago when I was a graduate student I worked for an amazing oral-maxillofacial surgeon in West Hartford, Dr. Richard Bevilacqua. He did all kinds of amazing surgeries that changed peoples’ lives. Sure, most of what he did in a day was more pedestrian–extracting wisdom teeth, tooth implants, simple extractions and the like. But he also did major surgeries like reconstructing the jaws or cheekbones of a person seriously injured in a car accident. He performed surgeries on people with various forms of cancer. But one of his “specialties”–a surgery he performed often and with the contributions other area specialists like plastic surgeons and anesthesiologists–was surgery to repair cleft lip and cleft palates on newborn babies and older children. I knew little about these congenital birth defects before working for Dr. Bevilacqua. But what he and the Cranio-Facial Team at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center could do in a series of relatively “simple” surgeries was truly amazing! I worked closely with families through the process of scheduling the surgeries and post-operative visits. I got to meet the newborn babies before their surgeries and see how their lives were changed before they were even old enough to know about their experience. But, as I am sure most of you know, in many parts of the world children born with these birth defects have little or no access to this kind of surgery. An unrepaired cleft lip & palate can mean these children grow up not only experiencing difficulty eating and learning to talk but, in some parts of the world, they are abandoned, shunned, even killed due to their appearance.
Here are some images I was able to find online that illustrate the amazing results these surgeries can offer. (Sorry about the pixelation; but I think you can still appreciate the results!)
The Smile Train is a wonderful organization that works hard to raise funds to perform these surgeries at no cost to the child’s family and also to train area medical professionals to perform the surgeries themselves. According to the New York Times Smile Train is “one of the most productive charities–dollar for deed–in the world.” I am excited to support this cause and am asking for YOUR help in making a difference this year.
From now until December 20th, for every new “like” on my business page on Facebook and for every comment left here on my blog E. Broderick Photography will donate $1.00 to The Smile Train. If you are a previous client of mine, be sure to spread the word. If you can get 5 or more of your friends or family members to “like” my page on Facebook I will send you one 5 x 7 print from a previous session! If you are not a previous client but have been thinking about scheduling a session with me, I will honor the same offer for you if you book a session in the next 6 months. Just be sure to have your friends tell me that you sent them by writing a comment here or by posting on my wall on Facebook.
Let’s see how much interest we can generate and how much money we can raise! Every dollar counts, of course, but if we can raise $250 we will pay for the entire cost of surgery for one child! Thanks so much for your help! You can like my Facebook page here. And let you friends know by either sending them here to my blog, or by posting a link to my page in your status on Facebook!
BONUS!! I just found out about an amazing fundraising effort on the Smile Train Facebook page! One of their wealthy donors has offered to double every donation made! So if we can raise $250, they will also donate $250–we can help change the lives of two children!
UPDATE: So it has been just about 6 hours since I posted this and the response has already been amazing! A few new likes “trickled in” during the first couple hours and then, Bam! The word spread and the likes kept on coming! Ten at a time. I am thrilled! But it has also occurred to me that I may have underestimated the ability of Facebook to pass my message along. I was operating from inside my own little “Eileen Broderick” bubble but now I realize that I should have set some kind of limit on this or I could quickly get too many likes to even be able to afford the donation! So I have given this some thought and have decided to make the following amendment to my original wording. For each new like up to December 20th or until I hit 500 new likes, I will donate $1.00 to the Smile Train. After 500 new likes or as of December 20th (whichever comes first) I will make a $5 donation from each full-price portrait session I book through all of next year, 2012. I am still committed to raising awareness for and supporting this amazing organization; I just need to be sure I set this up so that my business can actually fulfill my commitment! Thanks for understanding!
Thanks to everyone who has already participated. My heart is full and my mind is racing–I am now brainstorming some new ways I can help to raise additional funds next year! Happy holidays!