Giving Friends, Helping Others

My sister lives in South Carolina. One day a car that was covered with West Virginia flags, window decals and bumper stickers pulled up beside her. If you are a Mountaineer fan, you’re not a stranger . . . matter of fact you may even be related! Once the driver and my sister started talking they were both surprised that they grew up across town from each other. My sister was about 10 years younger than her. When my sister said her last name, she said, “Are related to someone named Robin?” What a small world—we were high school friends!

My friend is a nurse who will be going on a medical mission in January to the Dominican Republic. She and a team of medical professionals will provide assistance to children and families through the Paul Chester Children’s Hope Foundation.

An Anesthesiologist, Dr. Bill Chester, started the Foundation in 2003. Bill’s 16-year-old son Paul was preparing to accompany his father on a medical mission. He had career aspirations to follow in his father’s footsteps in the medical profession. Then, before they left on the mission, Paul was tragically killed in a car accident.

Bill had been going on missions for almost 20 years. Paul had seen his dad volunteering with Operation Smile, a medical services organization that treats facial deformities. After a half-hour or longer procedure, Bill said they would totally transform these kids' lives.

He said, “I remember there was a 15-month-old girl that we performed cataract surgery on in Colombia last year. She was nearly blind since birth. When the mother came back the next day, she was astounded because she saw that her daughter was reaching for her hand. She had never reached for anything before.”

When close friends asked what they could do to help Bill grieve for his son, he said, “As a parent who has lost a child, you never want anyone to forget them. And you know it's going to happen as time goes on. I want to keep his name out there so people will know that he existed. That's such an incredibly powerful motivator for any parent. It's what keeps me doing what I do.” The Paul Chester Children's Hope Foundation was established to honor the spirit and passion of this remarkable young man, and to sustain the vital work that Paul had hoped to accomplish in his life.

Today’s gift was donating money to the Paul Chester Foundation. It will support the work that great folks like my friend are doing when they freely give their time and medical expertise to help others. Little did I know that my friend would grow up to be one of those dedicated professionals who would be serving people who are in such desperate need.

In Giving and Being Thankful for Those Who Give of Themselves,

Robin