Since 2003, The HUGS Foundation (Helping Us Give Smiles) has sent hundreds of Medical Volunteers on 30 missions and conducted over a thousand surgical procedures to correct clef lip, palette and other facial deformities. In many of these places, children born with these abnormalities are considered less than useful to the society and do not receive the same love, care and opportunity that a ‘normal’ child would. This is a disastrous situation and one that the good people of HUGS aims to eliminate.
Although I haven’t had the opportunity to document these missions first hand, I have had the good pleasure of donating my time and resources to help bring attention to the Foundation via it’s annual benefit. This is extremely gratifying to me and also exciting as events are often highlighted by a big name music performer whom I get to spend an evening hanging with – taking pictures with benefactors and listening to performances. This past year was an all-time life thrill as Wynton Marsalis was the featured performance. WYNTON MARSALIS!!!! I am happy to report that he is as gracious and down to Earth as any celebrity I’ve worked with. As cool a cat as there is. These are some images that I gathered that night.
If you wish to learn more about HUGS and the impact that they’ve had on so many lives, click here. Thanks to Dr. Vito Quatela and his Staff at HUGS for your continued support and encouragement. It’s an honor to do my part in helping to shine a spotlight on this fine organization.
