Smiling Over Sickness and Their Locks For Love Event!
McMaster Smiling Over Sickness began in 2002 with the goal of helping sick children smile! Since then, the club has grown and become one of the largest student-run organizations at McMaster. With over 600 general members, 45 volunteers, 20 junior executives and 13 senior executives, it's no wonder this group has accomplished so many amazing milestones over the years. Some of these include winning MSU Club of the Year in not only 2012, but again in 2013!
But how exactly does this club help children who are sick smile? Smiling Over Sickness raises awareness and support for pediatric patients through their many fundraising and volunteer opportunities. For instance, last year the club raised over $20,000 for local and national organizations that align with their vision. In addition, they collectively dedicated more than 1,500 hours of community service to patients at McMaster's Children's Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House.
The club is also very involved in the Hamilton Community itself. From planning community-building events to hosting fundraisers on McMaster's campus, Smiling Over Sickness makes sure they reach a broad spectrum of individuals. One of their more recent events includes Locks for Love. This Valentine's Day themed event is held in February and allows individuals to easily donate 12 or more inches of their hair for Angel Hair for Kids! This program is run by A Child's Voice Foundation who helps provide wigs for children with medically-induced hair loss.
This February, CFMU's Music Director, Rachel Connell, participated in the event and donated her hair at the Locks for Love event in the McMaster University Student Centre. Here are some pics of all the action!
Hearing about this amazing club and experiencing it are definitely very rewarding experiences. To chat a bit more about it, Mark had Smiling Over Sickness co-presidents in the CFMU studios this week. Amber Murphy and Kelly Dong spoke a bit more about how they got involved with the club, why it's so important to them, and what they're next upcoming event will be! To learn more about this and to hear the full interview, check out the SoundCloud clip below!