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[Sandra]

Chris, check with the Shriner's Hospital for Crippled Children (any branch).   They have a hospital and research facilities devoted to burns.   It's just one of the multitude of facilities and hospitals the Shriner's operate on behalf of crippled or severely injured children.   Shriner's raise all the funds to support them along with generous donations from benefactors.   

I worked with them when we hosted a child from the Philippines who had post polio problems that threatened his life.   I later wrote several articles for them and interviewed local families whose children had received help.   Believe me when I say that it's quite likely they would not refuse to help Chen Chao and would probably even be able to arrange for transportation and accommodations if needed.   

Hope this is helpful.   

Sandra

[Dr. Mani]

Lisa, thanks for pointing me to this thread, sorry I'm late
to join (been on vacation).

My thoughts...

One of the hardest things I've had to learn is that I cannot
change everything in the world, make right all its wrongs, on
my own.

Though as a youngster, I wanted to.

Still do.

But another equally powerful lesson I've learned in years is
this -

I can make a small difference TODAY.

And to the individual beneficiary of my actions, that small
difference may actually be a BIG one.

While many people drag irrelevant and incidental issues of
geography, politics, religion and economics into the discussion
to cloud the picture, the fact still remains that people suffer
- and some of us have the power, ability and desire to help
them.

No one is entitled to that support.  Yet, for many of us who
are in a position to help, extending such support is a choice
- and one which makes our lives richer, more meaningful and
purposive.

My friend, Frank McKinney, who builds luxury mansions on spec
and sells them for upto $50 million dollars also builds homes
for the homeless in Haiti - at a few thousand dollars per
family.

He says:  "Of those to whom much is given, much is expected."

I've helped Frank's 'Caring House' project.  Yes, I've donated
to build homes in Haiti... when many Indians remain homeless.

Does that make me a 'bad' person?

Not if you believe in the oneness of humanity, or in the ability
to reach out and help someone somewhere in the world.

I work with children with heart defects in India.  Once upon a
time, I used to believe that folks in the developed countries
had it easy, because they could afford expensive treatment.

Two years in the U.K. and Australia taught me different - there
are under-privileged people everywhere in the world.  That opened
my eyes to this reality... people with problems need help, no
matter where in the world they live.

Tony Blake is an inspiration everyday in the work I do - because
every one of the children I help treat in my medical practice
could potentially turn out to be a Tony Blake - and in turn do
something to help a Chen Chao.

It's a circle that goes around, touching lives in the process,
and making the world a nicer place.

I consider it a privilege to be a part of that circle - and hope
you will too.

If you can help (in any way), please do.  If you cannot contribute
directly, that's fine too... you can help spread the word, or just
say a little prayer for someone less fortunate.

If you don't like to do even that, it's a personal choice - and
does not make you a better or worse person, either way.

But don't criticize someone who is making the effort, trying to
help a child who has been hurt by an accident of fate.

Chris, Tony, and all fellow Blakers - YOU are what makes this
world a place worth living in.

God bless you for all your care, concern and support.

All success
Dr.Mani

[profitclinic]

May I make a suggestion?

This is a single, clearly-identified topic. Nobody wanders onto this board by accident. There's no bait-and-switch here.

What I personally think are inappropriate are comments suggesting that doing good to those less fortunate should not be allowed on a business forum, because it could suddenly inundate the forum with tear-jerking topics.

It suggests to me a distinct lack of faith in the forum owner's and moderators' collective professional judgements and an unrealistic view that, somehow, life can be surgically sliced into discrete and convenient partitions that we can avoid entirely.

A forum like this is like a television set. No-one forces you to watch a specific channel. If you don't like the content, don't select that channel. But to deny everyone else access to what they regard as a reasonable and legitimate cause is, I hope, more indicative of not thinking the matter through sufficiently, than of anything that smacks of callousness or self-interest.

Life can be messy, cruel, unfair and arbitrary. It can also be satisfying, joyous and rewarding. The first group is what happens to people — including ourselves. The second group is the result of how we all respond to the first.

It would concern me greatly to think that the temporary discomfiture of a few could be sufficient cause to prevent us helping each other in time of need by denying any kind of access to this forum.

Chris and Tony are to be applauded, for their empathy and compassion, and for their discretion in how sensitively this has been handled here.

Please take this in the spirit in which it's intended... not as a criticism or judgement of any individuals, but as a personal observation from a member of this community.

Reproaches and rebuttals do nothing but create discord and hurt feelings in situations like this, and the real issue often gets lost in the heat and dust that suddenly clouds everything.

Perhaps we could have a separate board for worthy causes, Tony, with global announcements to bring new developments to our attention by redirecting those who are interested to the appropriate topics? Then those who feel uncomfortable with such discussions need not risk being confronted by them.

Just a thought.

John

[Dr. Mani]

Perhaps we could have a separate board for worthy causes, Tony, with global announcements to bring new developments to our attention by redirecting those who are interested to the appropriate topics? Then those who feel uncomfortable with such discussions need not risk being confronted by them.

Just a thought.

John

John, not that this is representative, because the nature of my list may
be different from the more diverse audience of this board, but when I
tried doing just this with my email list around 2 years back, I was
happily surprised when ONLY 2.6% of my entire readership
opted-in to another sub-list where I promised 'business' content only,
with no appeals for donations or any mention of cases like Chen Chou.

You're right - life is too precious to slice surgically into convenient
parts.

All success
Dr.Mani

[joblythe]

John & others,

I fully understand what you are saying and I trust that you and others know that my intention was not to dismiss the cause in question - merely to suggest that the Main Discussion Board of an Entrepreneurial Forum, in my opinion, is not the place for such things.  There was already a post in the "Off-Topic" section and I would have thought that to be left there would have been more appropriate.

I commend anyone who attempts to help and promote such causes - I just do not expect to be confronted by a disturbing picture of a child (the original video opening still) when I access a Marketing Forum.

I have three children of my own, and two grandchildren - and God forbid that any such atrocities befell them.

My opinions are merely that, and will remain as such.

Kind regards
Jo Blythe

[profitclinic]

Hi Jo

I agree. It's a tough call to know just where, when and how much is reasonable. It's always so subjective.

And then there are the kind-hearted folks that simply can't rein in their emotions and quickly fill a forum with begging posts for everyone with a hard-luck story.

That's why I suggested a separate board, preferably tightly moderated, so that the causes deemed appropriate for this forum aren't relegated to "off-topic" status, but don't clutter the forum's main activities to the point that they become either an irritant or just background noise.

Nothing in my post was intended as personal. Just thinking aloud on general principles and policies. As the owner of several small forums I have to confront these issues from time to time, so it's helpful to kick them around with others.

John

[workaholicvictor]

pls sir how can i be of  help this an oppotuinity to save this girls situation pls were and how do we donate.