The Hairy Crab Desert Classic
April 28- May 2 2024
Palm Springs, CA
Half the Sky China Care Home
HuiYing was just one year old when she arrived at The China Care Home. A few days after her arrival, she was sent to hospital for surgery to repair her bilateral cleft lip and palate. However, during her hospitalization, her doctors discovered that she had a heart defect that needed to be surgically prepared. But HuiYing’s heart surgery also had to be postponed because she developed pneumonia and a high white blood cell count. Her surgery has been postponed several more times because of chicken pox or a cough or a high blood cell count. Meanwhile, HuiYing’s nannies at The China Care Home have been taking good care of her so that she will be able to heal and get strong for her surgeries.
When HuiYing first arrived at The China Care Home, she couldn’t sit steadily by herself. Her nannies helped her do a lot of exercises every day to improve her physical condition. Now, she can stand and walk by holding on to the bars of the crib. She is a very active girl and never stops crawling or turning over on the gym mat. Sometimes, she is mischievous. She crawls to the nanny who is bottle feeding a baby and wants to grab the bottle.
HuiYing is a good mimic. When she sees a nanny clap her hands, she also claps her hands immediately. Her appetite is quite good. She can eat a whole bowl of baby food. In order to prepare for the coming lip repair surgery, her nannies use the bottle with a cleft spoon to feed her milk so she can get used to it because cleft babies have to drink milk in this way after their surgery. Soon HuiYing will undergo heart surgery and then after she recuperates, lip repair surgery. HuiYing will then have a healthy heart and also more beautiful smiles.
A precious little email exchange about the Special Care Nursery at the Half the Sky China Care Home. It says a lot about what we do and how we do it.
Subject: RE: Hairy Crabs
Dear Deanne:
We made a wire transfer today of USD150,000.
Joe Tatelbaum
Subject: RE: Hairy Crabs
Dear Micheal, Joe,
What absolutely fabulous news, how incredibly good to hear! Thank you!!
Would you please, on behalf of all of us at Half the Sky, pass on our love and thanks to all Hairy Crabs.
We will prepare something lovely from the China Care Home to send you with some pictures and reports about the children so that you can share with all.
Of course an official receipt will also be provided from Hong Kong.
Thank you once again, please know that many little children are right now cuddled within loving arms as they recover from life-saving surgeries … with dear thanks to you.
warmest regards to you and yours for the holidays,
Deanne
Deanne Bevan
Director of Development
Half The Sky Foundation
Subject: RE: Hairy Crabs
Oh boy, this is just SPECTACULAR! Michael and Joe, we just can’t thank you enough for all you are doing to help these babies. In a year when our efforts to keep our programs afloat have been precarious at best, the Hairy Crabs are a ray of bright, happy light. Thank you so very much.
Happy Holidays!
love,
Jenny
Jenny Bowen
Executive Director
Half the Sky Foundation
Subject: RE: Hairy Crabs
Hi Jenny,
This money came from funds raised at an annual golf tournament—The Hairy Crab Invitational. (www.hairycrab.com)
Lots of beer needed to be drunk by lots of people in order to raise these funds, and I am happy to say that, among many others, I pulled my weight in this endeavor.
You and your organization are doing great work and it is our pleasure to help.
We look forward to having our logo attached to the hospital project in Beijing and to working with you in the future.
Joe