Bedfordview Country Club (BCC) runners Jane Mackinnon and Karen O’Leary have returned from a gruelling 240-kilometre trans-Alpine race in Europe to a warm smile.
The two runners embarked on the run over nine days in aid of the Smile Foundation.
Petunia Maela, 13, Grade Seven learner at Leicester Road Primary School, had her face reconstructed as one of 40 children who, through the work of the Smile Foundation, were identified for surgery during Smile Week in August.
Petunia’s head, face and hands were badly burnt when a woman poured boiling water and oil over her mother while she was on her mother’s back, when she was just six weeks old.
"I do not remember what happened but I will not let what happened get me down," she said.
While Jane and Karen where preparing for the charity race, Petunia was getting ready to go into surgery. "I was a little scared," admitted Petunia.
"A teacher at the school asked me if I had heard of the Smile Foundation. She told me about it and then wrote a letter to the foundation," added Petunia.
The letter highlighted Petunia’s story and her wish to have reconstructive surgery to her face.
Jane and Karen, who raised R32 000 for the charity, both agreed that the run was extremely tough but worth it.
"It is so nice to meet someone like Petunia and to have been able to help out," said Karen.
Article courtesy the Citizen Newspaper, and first published at the Citizen website.
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