During an interview yesterday for an article about chiropractor Dr. Todd Sinett I mentioned that I’m obsessed with the children of the Little Baby Face Foundation. One girl in particular has grabbed my heart. Her name is Yulia Shyrko. I haven’t met her yet but feel enormous empathy for her. Life can be hard for anyone, we all have challenges, but Yulia has had a very difficult road.
When I first viewed her photos I felt haunted, desperate to help her. Since I saw her deformities I have not been able to stop thinking about her.
Yulia was born with a severe facial deformity and lives in an orphanage in the Ukraine. Her plight is miserable and her future looks bleak. My article about Yulia can be viewed in this month’s issue of the Resident magazine. Unfortunately they didn’t post the photos of her. They feel it will upset her readers. Gosh, imagine how Yulia feels if people can’t even look at a photo of her. She is ostracized by her peers in the orphanage. They call her “The Scar.”
Lately I’ve been crazed with tight deadlines and lack of sleep. I can get irritated easily by a bad taxi driver, a bump from a rude passerby or an out-of-service elevator. But when I look at Yulia’s face I realize she would treasure my life. To her it would be heaven. By comparison, most of us have rich full lives with many options. If her story moves you please make a donation towards her medical expenses. I am so thankful for chiropractor Dr. Todd Sinnet jumping at the opportunity to help her by donating funds and hosting fundraising events.
Top specialists in NYC’s Lenox Hill hospital who will see her provide their services for free. But there are many other expenses to cover for her 6-months of treatments.
If you cannot afford to give please post about her and help me keep spreading the word. I cannot wait for the day I get to meet her and squeeze her tight. I love her already.