PAST NEWS
MADE WITH LOVE - As many of you know, the ladies of the Shanghai Brazilian community have generously given of their time and talents every year since 2009 to create handcrafted gifts and food for sale at their annual bazaar. With 100% of all their sales going to Baobei Foundation, the Brazilian community's efforts have saved many, many lives! Come join the festivities on November 18th. Find beautiful and unique gifts for all you family and friends as you help to save the life of a child!
BE BOTH FABULOUS & KIND! - Chuck off those yoga pants and put on some party finery to join us on October 24th for what has come to be known as the funnest and most glamorous annual party in all of Shanghai. With all the proceeds going to support the surgeries and follow-up medical care for three Baobei babies, you can dance your heart out knowing you are helping to save a life!
OUR ROCK STAR MATEO WOWS THEM, TOO! - Mateo just returned from a trip to Anhui, where he met with national and provincial officials and representatives of orphan and adoption advocacy groups. Everyone in attendance was quite impressed that a child who began with such a severe case of hydrocephalus could now sit up, crawl, feed himself, manage his own socks and shoes, and actively communicate. One representative who has had extensive experience with medical care for children commented that there is a night and day difference between simply getting a surgery and getting top quality surgery and top quality post-surgical care. She said Mateo's miraculous recovery and development is evidence of the phenomenal care that he has received within our network. This is affirmation of the excellent work of our local surgeons, our international medical advisors, our physical therapists, our staff and our volunteers, including Lis, Benedicte, Heike, Anna, Eva, Vanessa, Julia, Tamara, Dennis, Andrew, Jeannette, Eli, Mauro, Vasco, Amanda, Emily Minki, and Laini, who have helped Mateo through hundreds of hours or therapy. In Mateo's case, these tireless facilitators of his post-surgical therapy and care have had a particularly large impact on his recovery. 2015-4-16
ODE TO JOY - How many of us brighten up a room the minute we enter it? How many of us manage to find something fun and funny about every situation we encounter? How many of us act as a social hub, inspiring a diverse community of people to come together for a common cause? How many of us make those around us believe in miracles? How many of us say, “I may well have gotten dealt some less than ideal cards, but just watch me, I am gonna to turn them into a royal flush anyway!? How many of us say, I don’t know what lies ahead of me across the ocean, but I am ready and willing to go for it—bring it on!? We all have a thing or two to learn from Baby Joy, who at two-and-a-half years old is already rocking our world. We are excited for Joy as she joins her forever family this week. Thank you to Amy, Bantat, Sharon, Lisa, Daniel, Tim, Celma, Lincoln, Joy, Clayton, Mark, Chichi, Noelle, David, Xitong, Jill, Monique, and many others who have devotedly cheered Joy on! 2015-3-10
FASHION POLICE - What do you wear to one of the most important days of your life, the day you are united with your permanent adoption family? Adam took this question in stride, casually sporting a pair of mini Chuck Taylors, matching grey sweats and a hoodie. He was easily the best dressed boy in the room, sending the apt message, “I’m both hip and chill.” Of course Adam knows that clothes aren’t really the point, but they hint at a deeper reality underneath the surface, that though circumstances might have left him temporarily without a family, this is definitely no longer the case. He’s stepping out into the world with a huge family who has cared deeply for him and continues to care deeply for him. We wish him well in his new life in New York. Thank you to Karla, Carmen, Anita, Kimbra, Simon, Chiara, Rachel, Jennifer, Jeff, Kennedy, Cormick and all the others who have been a part of Adams family and have helped to make him the cool boy he is today. 2015-3-10
BABY OLIVIA ADOPTED - This week Baby Olivia joined her forever family, a lovely couple from the Netherlands. On the train ride on the way to the big day, we took some pictures of Olivia and showed them to her. She commented enthusiastically, "That's Olivia. She is so beautiful! Olivia is so beautiful. She is sooo adorable!" It is heartwarming to see Olivia exhibit understanding of her self-worth, a reflection of the immense investment of love our volunteers have made into her life. This understanding that she is very special and wonderful is something Olivia, and other children like her, will take with her all the days of her life. Thank you to Ruth, Gerie, Fianna, Benjamin, Shirley, Liz, Lydeke, Ari and the many others who have helped to nurture Olivia into the beautiful and adorable girl she is today! 2015-3-2
AMBASSADOR MARSHALL! - Marshall is doing extremely well. With his pneumonia and skin infection largely under control, Marshall is beginning antiretroviral therapy. He has quickly become the special darling of the staff and patients of the AIDS floor where he is receiving excellent care. In an environment where there are very few children, Marshall's presence, punctuated by his huge smile, has been a tremendous encouragement to the other patients and their families. He has brought the community together as the patients and families take turns entertaining him and lavishing him with gifts (including this Chinese New Year's outfit--yup, they discovered Marshall's penchant for snazzy clothes). With his quick recovery and charming personality, Marshall has become a very welcome symbol of hope in an environment which needs it. You can literally see patients' faces suddenly light up when they get around him. This is a small example of what we all know, that our Baobeis are tremendous gifts to our world! (Some of you may recognize, to the right of Marshall, Baobei Ana, who is now seven and starting to help take care of Baobeis herself! She adds, "Please ignore the curlers in my hair. I was getting ready for a night on the town after my volunteer work!") 2015-2-26
A MOTHER'S INTUITION - Although Baby Timothy had no fever and no overt signs of illness, Tianjuan, his volunteer caretaker, could sense that something wasn't quite right with him. He just wasn't his usual happy and gregarious self. Thank goodness for this experienced Shanghai mom's special sensitivity and quick response, because tests have now confirmed that Timothy is suffering from a digestive disorder, and he is getting treatment for it. Thanks to Tianjuan, Rob and Sera for moving so quickly to attend to Timothy's needs. 2015-2-26
MARSHALL'S MYSTERY SOLVED - After some persistent problem solving and numerous tests that led to dead ends, our Chinese medical team, working from an experienced hunch, suggested we retest Marshall for HIV even though he had previously tested negative in other hospitals. The day before Chinese New Year, Marshall's tests confirmed he is HIV positive, so we rushed to enter him into a specialized HIV program. The good news is the infectious disease specialist at the hospital says Marshall may have been diagnosed early enough to avoid lasting damage. Thank goodness for the skilled persistence of our team of Shanghai doctors, some of the best in the country, who solved a mystery physicians in other cities were unable to solve. We are especially glad they did it in time to get Marshall the help he needs! As many of us know, some public apprehension can remain about being around a patient with HIV or AIDS, so this is a special opportunity for us to stand with Marshall. Thank you to Dr. Summer, Scot and Louise for leading the way in this respect. Meanwhile, this smart little man has us all wrapped around his little finger, flashing a melt-your-heart countenance mixed with strategically timed whimpers to assure he gets held 24/7! 2015-2-20
THEN I SAW HER FACE, NOW I'M A BELIEVER! - Xi Tong and Joy, who both came in with severe cases of spina bifida, hydrocephalus and a host of other problems, were two of our most critical patients. Initially, some physicians advised us to give up on these babies because they didn't see the point of investing resources on children who were unlikely to live and were certainly not going to flourish. But the extraordinary surgeon in this picture never wavered in his hope for these children. Thank goodness for him, because these girls have indeed flourished! They are full of life, hilariously funny, and smart as whips! We'll be looking for them on the rosters of Harvard in a few years! Xi Tong has been adopted by a wonderful family living in Shanghai, and Joy will be adopted next month. One of the physicians who originally advised us to give up hope recently shared that Xi Tong has changed his mind about cases like these. He says, "I am now a believer in great possibilities for children like these!" 2015-2-15
SMILE! - What is harder than getting a baby to smile? Getting eight babies to smile on cue at the same time! At least cool Mateo remained chill while making sure Zach didn't slip off the sofa! In spite of the look on a couple of our cute Baobeis' faces, everyone had a great time at a recent playtime photo shoot. 2015-2-14
JOIN US FOR A LUNCHEON @ MR WILLIS - As many of you know, Mr. Willis Restaurant has been a long-time generous supporter of Baobei Foundation. Each year Mr. Willis and his wonderful team of suppliers and staff donates a fully-funded fundraising lunch to Baobei so 100% of the proceeds can support a Baobei child. Last year over 35,000 RMB was raised to support Baby Titus. Titus is now one year old and is in great health. After several surgeries with Baobei and ongoing physiotherapy and orthopedic work, Titus is ready to take on the world. He charms everyone he meets with his flirtatious personality. On Tuesday, April 21, join old & new Baobei supporters to share a meal on behalf of Brian and to hear the latest news about Baobei's work with orphans. (Details to the right.) 2015-3-14
OUR ROCK STAR MATEO WOWS THEM, TOO! - Mateo just returned from a trip to Anhui, where he met with national and provincial officials and representatives of orphan and adoption advocacy groups. Everyone in attendance was quite impressed that a child who began with such a severe case of hydrocephalus could now sit up, crawl, feed himself, manage his own socks and shoes, and actively communicate. One representative who has had extensive experience with medical care for children commented that there is a night and day difference between simply getting a surgery and getting top quality surgery and top quality post-surgical care. She said Mateo's miraculous recovery and development is evidence of the phenomenal care that he has received within our network. This is affirmation of the excellent work of our local surgeons, our international medical advisors, our physical therapists, our staff and our volunteers, including Lis, Benedicte, Heike, Anna, Eva, Vanessa, Julia, Tamara, Dennis, Andrew, Jeannette, Eli, Mauro, Vasco, Amanda, Emily Minki, and Laini, who have helped Mateo through hundreds of hours or therapy. In Mateo's case, these tireless facilitators of his post-surgical therapy and care have had a particularly large impact on his recovery. 2015-4-16
ODE TO JOY - How many of us brighten up a room the minute we enter it? How many of us manage to find something fun and funny about every situation we encounter? How many of us act as a social hub, inspiring a diverse community of people to come together for a common cause? How many of us make those around us believe in miracles? How many of us say, “I may well have gotten dealt some less than ideal cards, but just watch me, I am gonna to turn them into a royal flush anyway!? How many of us say, I don’t know what lies ahead of me across the ocean, but I am ready and willing to go for it—bring it on!? We all have a thing or two to learn from Baby Joy, who at two-and-a-half years old is already rocking our world. We are excited for Joy as she joins her forever family this week. Thank you to Amy, Bantat, Sharon, Lisa, Daniel, Tim, Celma, Lincoln, Joy, Clayton, Mark, Chichi, Noelle, David, Xitong, Jill, Monique, and many others who have devotedly cheered Joy on! 2015-3-10
FASHION POLICE - What do you wear to one of the most important days of your life, the day you are united with your permanent adoption family? Adam took this question in stride, casually sporting a pair of mini Chuck Taylors, matching grey sweats and a hoodie. He was easily the best dressed boy in the room, sending the apt message, “I’m both hip and chill.” Of course Adam knows that clothes aren’t really the point, but they hint at a deeper reality underneath the surface, that though circumstances might have left him temporarily without a family, this is definitely no longer the case. He’s stepping out into the world with a huge family who has cared deeply for him and continues to care deeply for him. We wish him well in his new life in New York. Thank you to Karla, Carmen, Anita, Kimbra, Simon, Chiara, Rachel, Jennifer, Jeff, Kennedy, Cormick and all the others who have been a part of Adams family and have helped to make him the cool boy he is today. 2015-3-10
BABY OLIVIA ADOPTED - This week Baby Olivia joined her forever family, a lovely couple from the Netherlands. On the train ride on the way to the big day, we took some pictures of Olivia and showed them to her. She commented enthusiastically, "That's Olivia. She is so beautiful! Olivia is so beautiful. She is sooo adorable!" It is heartwarming to see Olivia exhibit understanding of her self-worth, a reflection of the immense investment of love our volunteers have made into her life. This understanding that she is very special and wonderful is something Olivia, and other children like her, will take with her all the days of her life. Thank you to Ruth, Gerie, Fianna, Benjamin, Shirley, Liz, Lydeke, Ari and the many others who have helped to nurture Olivia into the beautiful and adorable girl she is today! 2015-3-2
AMBASSADOR MARSHALL! - Marshall is doing extremely well. With his pneumonia and skin infection largely under control, Marshall is beginning antiretroviral therapy. He has quickly become the special darling of the staff and patients of the AIDS floor where he is receiving excellent care. In an environment where there are very few children, Marshall's presence, punctuated by his huge smile, has been a tremendous encouragement to the other patients and their families. He has brought the community together as the patients and families take turns entertaining him and lavishing him with gifts (including this Chinese New Year's outfit--yup, they discovered Marshall's penchant for snazzy clothes). With his quick recovery and charming personality, Marshall has become a very welcome symbol of hope in an environment which needs it. You can literally see patients' faces suddenly light up when they get around him. This is a small example of what we all know, that our Baobeis are tremendous gifts to our world! (Some of you may recognize, to the right of Marshall, Baobei Ana, who is now seven and starting to help take care of Baobeis herself! She adds, "Please ignore the curlers in my hair. I was getting ready for a night on the town after my volunteer work!") 2015-2-26
A MOTHER'S INTUITION - Although Baby Timothy had no fever and no overt signs of illness, Tianjuan, his volunteer caretaker, could sense that something wasn't quite right with him. He just wasn't his usual happy and gregarious self. Thank goodness for this experienced Shanghai mom's special sensitivity and quick response, because tests have now confirmed that Timothy is suffering from a digestive disorder, and he is getting treatment for it. Thanks to Tianjuan, Rob and Sera for moving so quickly to attend to Timothy's needs. 2015-2-26
MARSHALL'S MYSTERY SOLVED - After some persistent problem solving and numerous tests that led to dead ends, our Chinese medical team, working from an experienced hunch, suggested we retest Marshall for HIV even though he had previously tested negative in other hospitals. The day before Chinese New Year, Marshall's tests confirmed he is HIV positive, so we rushed to enter him into a specialized HIV program. The good news is the infectious disease specialist at the hospital says Marshall may have been diagnosed early enough to avoid lasting damage. Thank goodness for the skilled persistence of our team of Shanghai doctors, some of the best in the country, who solved a mystery physicians in other cities were unable to solve. We are especially glad they did it in time to get Marshall the help he needs! As many of us know, some public apprehension can remain about being around a patient with HIV or AIDS, so this is a special opportunity for us to stand with Marshall. Thank you to Dr. Summer, Scot and Louise for leading the way in this respect. Meanwhile, this smart little man has us all wrapped around his little finger, flashing a melt-your-heart countenance mixed with strategically timed whimpers to assure he gets held 24/7! 2015-2-20
THEN I SAW HER FACE, NOW I'M A BELIEVER! - Xi Tong and Joy, who both came in with severe cases of spina bifida, hydrocephalus and a host of other problems, were two of our most critical patients. Initially, some physicians advised us to give up on these babies because they didn't see the point of investing resources on children who were unlikely to live and were certainly not going to flourish. But the extraordinary surgeon in this picture never wavered in his hope for these children. Thank goodness for him, because these girls have indeed flourished! They are full of life, hilariously funny, and smart as whips! We'll be looking for them on the rosters of Harvard in a few years! Xi Tong has been adopted by a wonderful family living in Shanghai, and Joy will be adopted next month. One of the physicians who originally advised us to give up hope recently shared that Xi Tong has changed his mind about cases like these. He says, "I am now a believer in great possibilities for children like these!" 2015-2-15
SMILE! - What is harder than getting a baby to smile? Getting eight babies to smile on cue at the same time! At least cool Mateo remained chill while making sure Zach didn't slip off the sofa! In spite of the look on a couple of our cute Baobeis' faces, everyone had a great time at a recent playtime photo shoot. 2015-2-14
TAOTAO UNDERGOES HIS SECOND SURGERY - Taotao completed his second surgery the first week of February to remove his brain tumor. After four painstaking hours, the tumor was successfully removed. Taotao is now starting what will likely be a long journey towards recovery. The first step is for him to re-learn how to walk and talk, functions which were damaged by the tumor. Local college student volunteers, Thomas and Michael, have started Taotao's therapy, skillfully engaging him in conversation and drawing him out of his shell. Taotao has responded especially well to the gentle guidance of these young men he calls "哥哥," or "brothers." He took his first assisted walk today, journeying about ten meters from his bed. Go Taotao! 2015-2-8
BABY LUCIE JOINS US - Sweet baby Lucie joined us this week. Just as in Marshall's case, reasons for Lucie's developmental abnormalities remain a mystery, so she will undergo a range of tests in upcoming weeks as our team explores her condition. 2015-2-6
BABY MARY COMPLETES HER ADOPTION - Mary completed her adoption this week to a family in the U.S. She came to Baobei in spring of 2014 with sub-dermal hematoma and respiratory issues. We are excited to see her united with her permanent family and starting her new life! 2015-2-5
"MAKING GIVING FASHIONABLE" - Shanghai American School students lit up the catwalk at the end of January with a charity fashion show on behalf of Baobei Foundation. The students designed, produced and modeled their own cutting-edge fashions based on the theme "Re-fashion, Re-image, Re-purpose, Re-cycle." Shanghai designer Chris Chang of Poesia was on site as the guest designer who delivered an inspiring opening charge to the talented and socially-conscious young designers. 2015-2-1
BABY ESTHER GETS ADOPTED! - Some of you may remember Baby Esther, the frail baby with hydrocephalus who was the recipient of proceeds from a charity luncheon generously donated by Mr. Willis Restaurant two years ago. This week she was adopted by her permanent family, a lovely Canadian family living in Shanghai. Esther has two older brothers and an older sister, who treat Esther like a princess. Esther was named after a queen who had tremendous impact on this world. We expect no less from our little Esther, who has already exerted dynamite-sized impact on us and on her new family! Thank you to Craig Willis, Joyce, Xiao Hong, Liz, and everyone else who was instrumental in helping to save Esther's life! 2015-1-26
MYSTERY BABY MARSHALL JOINS OUR FAMILY - Often when babies are found by the child welfare institutes and when they come to us, their health conditions and backgrounds are utter mysteries. Uncovering a child's root health problem can take quite a bit of medical sleuthing. Marshall is a case in point. Ever since he was found, he has suffered from high fever and chronic respiratory problems. He has also failed to meet normal growth targets. Even after many months of testing and medical intervention, physicians in Beijing were unable to determine and address the underlying cause, so Baobei was asked to take a stab at this mystery case. It is daunting when some of the top physicians in the country have already hit a roadblock, but we just have to try our best for Marshall's sake. He joined us this week and is now being stabilized in the hospital. We'll be hoping for a breakthrough in upcoming weeks. Meanwhile our hats go off to this little dude who confidently rocks his pink stripes! 2015-1-26
TAOTAO SUCCESSFULLY UNDERGOES EMERGENCY SURGERY - Taotao came to Baobei in late January due to dizziness and vomiting. It turns out he had a large brain tumor and severe hydrocephalus. The neurosurgeon took one look at his scans, shuddered, declared Taotao lucky to be alive, and rushed to admit him in the hospital. The surgical team moved him to the front of the line to insert a shunt in Taotao's skull to relieve the life-threatening build-up of pressure on his brain. Taotao is recovering very well. His life is saved now, but he will have to undergo additional surgeries to address the tumor. It is hard to imagine the excruciating headache he must have endured in recent months. This extraordinarily brave, optimistic and well-mannered young man has won over all our hearts. When asked if he would like to find a permanent family, he replied, "I would love to, but one hasn't showed up yet." Let's hope that changes soon after his recovery. 2015-1-25
ZACH IN EMERGENCY SURGERY - Zach gave us a scare right before the new year when a portion of his intestines protruded in a lower abdomen hernia. Nurse Lara and Healing Home Mom Monique responded quickly and wisely to manage the emergency. Zach received a surgery to remedy the problem. He is recovering nicely. 2015-1-2
NICHOLAS RECEIVES HIS FINAL SURGERY - Nicholas received his third and final surgery at the end of December to close his colostomy outlet and to connect his new lower intestinal system. He is doing well and is already sporting his characteristic grin. In upcoming weeks we will see how his body learns muscle control for his newly constructed lower gastrointestinal tract. Some of us may remember Nicholas as the recipient of the proceeds from the Jinqiao Run last year in which several hundred people came together to support Nicholas's medical miracle. It is great to see what can happen when a community of people work together to support a child. Thank you! 2015-1-1
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