On November 6th, 2011, I will be running MEC's half marathon trail run in Shubie Park, Dartmouth, NS. I am honoured to dedicate my race to Vitamin Angels.

In May of this year, I was fortunate to witness first hand, the miraculous benefits that Vitamin Angels can provide to severely undernourished mothers and children in Kenya. I saw pregnant women gain strength, good health, happiness, and hope. As a result of the Vitamin Angels prenatal vitamin/mineral program, the women of these Western Kenyan villages will never again have to eat soil and clay, which was once their only source of minerals for the growing babies in their womb. Pregnancies are now less traumatic and the deliveries are significantly shorter and healthier for the baby and the mother. The children's birth weights are almost doubling and the infant mortalities at birth have dropped considerably. It is unbelievable what a simple daily multivitamin/mineral supplement can do.

Vitamin Angels (VA) is dedicated to reducing child mortality worldwide by advancing availability, access and use of essential nutrients to newborns, infants and children under five. VA's goal is to improve the health and future of the world's less fortunate children. One third of all childhood deaths are attributable to undernutrition. For young children, essential nutrients help build the foundation for good health and the opportunity to lead meaningful and productive lives. VA focuses on two main programs that ensure maximum impact: Operation 20/20, a vitamin A program, and Thrive to Five, a multivitamin program.

Operation 20/20 has the goal of eradicating childhood blindness on the planet by the year 2020. An estimated 190 million children under five suffer from vitamin A deficiency (VAD) worldwide, a major underlying cause of child mortality and blindness around the world. However, with one simple, cost-effective vitamin A capsule every six months, VAD blindness can be prevented and under-five child mortality can be reduced by 23%. An effortless $0.25 will allow for one child to have two doses (one year supply) of both vitamin A and antiparasitics. Just $1 guarantees 4 years of vitamin A for a child and saves a life.

Thrive to Five is a program which provides Third World children and pregnant and lactating women in need with a daily supply of essential micronutrients. These essential micronutrients, or multivitamins and minerals, reduce the effects of undernutrition and malnutrition in children under five and pregnant women. This increases their potential for basic good health and opens up the possibility for educational and economic achievements in life.

As a "retired" elite athlete, I've decided to use my physical abilities as a vehicle to fundraise money for this (literally) life changing cause.  I will run a half-marathon (21.1 km or 10.1 miles) in the Mountain Equipment Co-op Trail Run in Dartmouth, NS.  Every dollar I raise will be donated to Vitamin Angels and their mission to help provide children with good health and the opportunity to lead meaningful and productive lives.  

My goal is to raise a minimum of $1,000 through charitable donations.  Any and all support is sincerely appreciated in reaching this goal. No donation is too small. Remember - JUST $1.00 SAVES A LIFE.

I am proud to be a part of the Vitamin Angels team, and to contribute to the wellbeing of mothers and children in vital need all over the world.

Yours truly,

Brianna