Wei Has his First Sclerotherapy Treatment

Blessing Hands KY Gives Day is April 24th.   "Money Bomb" Charities The Morehead News Editor, Keith Kappes, Recently wrote a wonderful editorial about KY Gives Day. You can read it at this link.   He calls it a " Money Bomb".  In light of the recent bombing at the Boston Marathon, you can think of giving as your positive response to terror.    Ky Gives Day is Wednesday April 24th. Six other nonprofits in Morehead have now signed up. We encourage you to go to the KYGives.org page on the 24th and support nonprofits in Rowan County and Kentucky.    How to Give on 4/24 Log on to www.kygives.org Search for a favorite cause or organization. (Blessing Hands) Donate! Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4.(Give to other Rowan County Charities) Ask your friends to give too! Jason Justice, volunteer helping with Ky Gives Advertisement If you just can't wait, you can give any amount now atthis link. All proceeds from our participation will go to Wei Senbao's medical fund.    I want to especially thank Jason Justice who has volunteered his time to design and put up posters about KY Gives Day in Morehead. He also promoted it with a newspaper article.

Wei Senbao Wei Has Had His  First  Sclerotherapy Treatment Wei has had his first treatment.  I looked up sclerotherapy on Wikipedia. You can see it yourself atthis link.    "It is a procedure used to treat blood vessels or blood vessel malformations (vascular malformations) and also those of the lymphatic system. A medicine is injected into the vessels, which makes them shrink. It is used for children and young adults with vascular or lymphatic malformations. In adults, sclerotherapy is often used to treat spider veins, smaller varicose veins and hemorrhoids."   I have not heard if there were any complications or reactions. I heard it was a simple procedure and he should not have any problems. Instead of going home for 3 months, they have suggested that he and his mom stay in Shanghai for one and a half months at the Children's Hope Foundation. They are now paying 60 yuan ($9.68) a day for room and board to the foundation. It is still cheaper than having them go home and come back for the operation.  The volunteers and doctors feel that he will be better off near the hospital rather than in his small village where medical treatment is far away. They are home sick, but willing to stay for the operation.  Wei Senbao in his village Expense Report on Wei Senbao   I was checking the expenses of Wei and his Mother today from the time that we first sent them to Beijing for medical care and now that they are in Shanghai.  So far we have spent $4,655 for their care and needs during the two medical visits. You wonderful sponsors have given $12,166 for their needs. We now have $7,511 left in his fund with the first operation still to come. $645 has been given in advance for his hospital treatment, so some of the operation should be covered already by that deposit with the hospital. We don't know what is ahead or if he will need more complex care or transfusions. We did get  $50 for one of his cousins' school expenses. The rest of the children still need sponsors for school expenses.    Give $25 for Wei Senbao's medical needs.       Give $50 for the support of his cousins in school.

Moon Festival in Lexington, KY

Blessing Hands andLexington's Chinese Moon Festival       Wei Senbao and the Moon     Wei Senbao with  Lianna Gilliam Friends of Blessing Hands will be selling jewelry, baked goods, and cakes for the benefit of the Wei Senbao's medical fund and other Blessing Hands projects at this festival.  Last year a special friend of Blessing Hands won the moon cake contest and gave the prize money to Wei Senbao.   She was able to meet him this summer when her family traveled to China. This year she is taking orders for moon cakes and has already raised $600 for Wei. It is very time consuming to make moon cakes so that might be her limit.  You can give to Blessing Hands right on your computer at this link.  Look forward to seeing everyone and enjoying the moon. Come by our table and pick up some of our new brochures and newsletters to share with your friends.  _____________________________________________________     10 September  2011     Chinese Moon Festival  Free Admission Chinese gather during the full moon in the month of September to enjoy the moon and family. They eat special traditional moon cakes and share in family fun.   Lexington's moon festival is Saturday September 10 at the Moon Dance Amphitheater in Beaumont Centre Circle, Saturday 4 pm - 8 pm, September 10, 2011. Activities include a talent show, drawing contest, moon cake competition, Chinese essay and drawing contest, dance and music performances. To participate in the essay and drawing contest, please fill out the Painting and Essay Competition Registration Form. More information is at this link.  . The event is hosted by the Kentucky Chinese America Association every year. There will be displays by community groups & vendors especially from 2 to 4 o'clock. Free access to Beaumont Centre Family YMCA facilities and lantern making activities (For more info, call 859 219-9622 ext. 24). Delicious Chinese foods available for purchase but free to members of KCAA. For more information, call 267 280-3537 or 859 533-6183. e-mail wei.luo@uky.edu.

Blessing Hands has given some type of school aid to 635 students in China over the last 6 years.   Blessing Hands,106 Timber Lane, Morehead, KY 40351

Update of Wei Senbao and New Students Who Need Sponsors

Wei Senbao with Leanna Gilliam Wei Senbao Drinking Milk  Given by American Children 韦森宝 Wei Senbao Update                                                                  August 2011 We were anxious to find out the condition of Wei Senbao 韦森宝  this summer. He is the four year old boy, who has a malformation from birth that causes his cheek to be swollen. It is a cystic Lymphangioma that is a "malformations of the lymphatic system, which is the network of vessels responsible for returning to the venous system excess fluid from tissues".  The blockage will get worse as he grows, but treatment too soon is not advised either. However, waiting too long is also a problem since it can affect the growth of his neck.  Wei Senbao and his  Mother in a Beijing hospital "The prognosis for Lymphangioma is generally very good. Surgical removal of the tumor is the typical treatment provided, with the understanding that additional removal procedures will most likely be required as the Lymphangioma grows. Most patients need at least two procedures done for the removal process to be achieved, " Dr. Ke tells us. He was with the group that hiked up to see the Ling Wang Kindergarten children and Wei Senbao. He is from Shanghai and may be able to suggest the proper specialist when the time comes for treatment.   Generous donors made possible Wei's diagnosis in Beijing last summer. $3,134 USD is left for his future treatment, so we have about half of what is needed $6,268 (40,000 yuan) for his medical care. If you would like to give for his future operations when they are appropriate, please go to this link. We are keeping an account of what is dedicated to his care.  Ling Wang Kindergarten and Primary School You can see more pictures of Ling Wang Kindergarten and the food and gifts that were taken to the school by our volunteers this summer by clicking on the pictures. Wei lives in the village where the kindergarten is.  See more pictures of Wei Senbao by clicking on pictures about him.  Ling Wang Kids Receive Gifts Qiao Danmei An Long High School  Support a Buyi Minority Student Buyi Minority Students Who Need Sponsors       There are 6 people in Danmei's family. All her siblings are girls. She has one elder sister and two younger sisters. Her parents are farmers. She lives in the countryside outside An Long. She is rated no.1 in her class from lower middle school to now. She wants to be a architect in the future. Three of her sisters are in high school at once. Her family needs tuition help to keep all their girls in school.       We have opened a new aid program in the Buyi minority area of Guizhou Province. It was an 8 Yaya Luo's Mother - click to see more pictures. hour train trip from Nanning to get to An Long. Guizhou is the poorest province of China I hear. We went to the An Long No. 1 High School to find three Buyi students to support with tuition. Yaya Luo, one of our staff members who is a Buyi herself, invited us to visit her family and opened the door for Blessing Hands to help her old high school.       We intended to select three students, but when the financial aid office arranged for us to interview seven students, we just could not turn any of them down. John Randall Towles, who is about their age, really identified with them.        Now we need your help to sponsor the five students who don't have sponsors yet. We have their interviews posted online. You can take your pick andwrite us. Their support is $80 a semester or $160 per year. Go to this link to give online or send your gift to Blessing Hands, 106 Timber Lane, Morehead, KY 40351.   You can see them by clicking on the videos here.  .  Tuo Tianying There are four children in Tuo's family, two elder brothers and one older sister. His father and mother are farmers. He is the youngest child. When he entered junior middle school he was no. 1, and now he is number 2 in his whole grade. Two older siblings are married. He wants to be a teacher of math. He is a senior 2 student at An Long No. 1 High School. He enjoys solving math problems. His mother gives him 240 RMB a month for living Lin Fali Lin Fali is a Senior 2 student at An Long High School in the Guizhou Province of China. He will graduate in the spring of 2013. There are four people in his family. They are all healthy except his mother often gets a fever. His younger brother is a junior middle school 3 student. Lin Fali wants to be a math teacher someday. He was rated no. 7 in his lower middle school and is now rated No. 5 in his whole high school class. He boards at the school, going home once every month. His family lives on 250 RMB a month  Cen Xianlan Cen Xianlan is an Senior 2 student at An Long Higher Middle School in Guizhou Province. She needs a scholarship because her father is ill with heart disease. Her mother is the only support of the family. An older sister is married and can't contribute to the support of the family. Her village is far away and poorer than other villages. She was 63th in her class when she first entered high school, but now she has raised her rank to 14th in her class. Zhan Xiameng  Zhan Xiameng Click here for Video and wait through commercial please. This student's father was disabled in a construction accident. Only his mother supports the family in An Long Town. He is a Senior 1 student starting in the fall of 2011 and will graduate in the spring of 2014. His high school entrance score is more than 400, which is good. He has two elder sisters. One works in Guangdong and the other is in high school as a senior 3 student. The family lives on 800 RMB a month for the support of the whole family. His father is Han and his mother Buyi. He lives at home in An Long.  Blessing Hands / 106 Timber Lane / Morehead, Kentucky 40351 / 219 232 8887

Open a Door

Blessing Hands Open a Door for Wei Haitao, Give a University Scholarship   Wei Haitao. Wei Haitao (韦海涛) has worked very hard to get into a university. He even took his last year of high school twice to make a higher score on the all important national test. He improved his test score by 100 points, which is a great achievement in one year, and has been accepted by the university of his choice. Please help him achieve his dream. I'm Wei Haitao from Qinzhou No.1 Middle School. Though I can get into a university, my family cannot afford money for me to go to university.  I need someone to help me, so I can get through difficulties. I don't know if it is too selfish when your country is in economic crisis to put forward such requests, but on behalf of the poor, I need knowledge to change my destiny. I have a dream that one day I can become a Chemistry teacher.  My father has had diabetes since I was three years old and requires daily injections that cost a lot of money. He can't do any heavy jobs, and my family doesn't have enough land to grow crops to make money. My grandmother's body is poor also.  If I can go to university, my dream will be realized, and I will have the ability to help more people. I hope I can do more blessings. No matter at school or in society, I will spread the spirit of Blessing Hands. I wish I can get the chance.  Wei Haitao   Wei already has one person willing to give toward his scholarship, but it is not the complete amount. Please help finish up the scholarship by giving $250. You can donate $250 at this link. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the button to give a college scholarship for one semester. Penpals now have Computers  For the Upcoming School Year Computers will Assist the Pen Pal Program Amy Qin received a computer for the pen pals at her school, Yangshuo Experimental Middle School of Foreign Languages 阳朔镇外语实验中学 While I was in Yangshuo, I got to see the three computers that we are putting at the high schools and one lower middle school to assist in our pen pal exchanges.  We have had Sister School matches with the USA schools but pen pal letters have been difficult to get back and forth physically due to distance, time and expense.  Now that the schools have these computers dedicated for the use of pen pal exchanges, we hope to improve our pen pal program. The computers were donated by a charity in Hong Kong. Schools in China tend to fear their students will waste time on computers. They have Internet cafes there, but students under 18 are not allowed to use them and our students can't afford them anyway. With these dedicated computers, the students can write during their free time on Sunday afternoons. They are boarding students so the school sets their activities and schedules. Luo Huali (Yaya)罗华丽 We have a new staff member in Yangshuo who can help facilitate these Sister School exchanges now. Luo Huali (Yaya) will be assisting Gloria Wei with the Sister School boxes that the schools exchange each year. She is a recent graduate from Guangxi Normal University and teaches in a language school in Yangshuo also. I am relieved to have someone people can write in English to deal with sponsorship and pen pal information. She was willing to volunteer, but we wanted her to do more than a volunteer, so we put her on staff. She is from the Buyi minority and understands the challenges our students face. She will also do translation and arrange visits of sponsors  to Yangshuo.     4 New Scholarships Yaya will also help with administrating college scholarships. We have 2 new scholarships sponsored in Yangshuo so far and 2 in Qinzhou. We will feature two more students needing scholarships in our next newsletter. Many of our scholarship students from past years also lack complete sponsorships for one reason or another. If you would like to give to one of them, please write me at this e-mail. Update on Wei Senbao(韦森宝) Wei and his Mom are back home in Longfu Township now. Doctors are looking for the best treatment of his birth defect. He has a cyst formed before birth in his lymphatic system. It is not connected to the rest of his lymphatic system, but grows as he ages. It is not life threatening right now, but will need to be treated.  Beijing doctors have promised to share his MRI, and we hope to have more expert opinions soon. Treatment is available We are still raising money for his eventual operation. Many people have shown him and his Mom kindness, He has been featured in a Chinese Newspaper and a pharmacist at the Nanning Hospital gave money toward his travel. Donor giving the family money    Newspaper article about Wei  We have made a page about him on our website. You can also give for his  treatment there. Look on our home page for his picture. It will take you directly to the page. Thanks goes to Mandy Ma, who has taken his case to heart and gone out of her way to get him to doctors. Dr. Tang at Longfu hospital and his staff have also been a great help. He still needs a miracle. Thanks, Betty Cutts

Lymphangioma

Latest Update on Wei Senbao   We Have a  Diagnosis    Lymphangioma     I had to look it up online. This is what I found.     "A cystic hygroma is a mass that commonly occurs in the head and neck area. It is a birth defect. Treatment involves complete removal of the abnormal tissue whenever possible. However, cystic hygromas can often invade other neck structures, making this impossible.   A cystic hygroma occurs as the baby grows in the womb. It forms from pieces of material that carry fluid and white blood cells. Such material is called embryonic lymphatic tissue. After birth, a cystic hygroma usually looks like a soft bulge under the skin. The cyst may not be recognized at birth. It typically grows as the child does.   The outlook is good if surgery can totally remove the abnormal tissue. In cases where complete removal is not possible, the cystic hygroma commonly returns. The outcome may also depend on what other chromosomal abnormalities or birth defects, if any, are present."   "Lymphangiomas represent hamartomatous malformations with no risk of malignant transformation. In the case of cystic hygroma, total surgical excision is appropriate to prevent complications such as respiratory compromise, aspiration, and infections in critical areas, such as the neck. Lymphangiomas have a strong tendency for local recurrence unless they are completely excised. Recurrent episodes of cellulitis and minor bleeding are not uncommon. The reason that these embryonic lymph sacs remain disconnected from the rest of the lymphatic system is not known. "   How to Give?   Everyone wants to help him. We just need to consider how best to do it.  Lets give for his treatment. He is such a cute child.  How would you feel if he was your son or grandson?    Donations are needed to make sure he gets the best of care.   In Taiwan, David Hsieh has already raised over $560 and will wire it to China. You can give through him by contacting his e-mail.   Blessing Hands has a web page where no fee will be charged at this link.     In China  you can contact Mandy Ma at this e-mail    Facebook Cause on my page.

Current Status of Wei and his Mother

It has been decided to not do surgery immediately while the best advice and situation can be found. Wei and his mom are taking the train back to Nanning  presently. The most skilled surgeon in this area at Children's Hospital was out of town for two weeks. A skilled American surgeon had just left to go back to the US.     Advisors and doctors have suggested possible  treatments and hospitals, even in the USA. They seem to think his case is very rare and perhaps dangerous or hard to do surgery on, so we need the most skilled doctors to be on his case.   Some recommend intervention early or talk of scar tissue, while others say the cyst is large because of the biopsies leaking blood into the cyst.     Sclerotherapy, "a procedure used to treat blood vessels or blood vessel malformations (vascular malformations) and also those of the lymphatic system" has been suggested by one American doctor as something to consider. Injecting the unwanted veins with a sclerosing solution causes the target vein to immediately shrink, and then dissolve over a period of weeks as the body naturally absorbs the treated vein.   We hope to share copies of the actual MRI, letting other doctors review them. Medical records in China are kept by the patients not by doctors. Some want to send him to Shanghai for a second evaluation and treatment by doctors who specialize in this problem and others like it.