Crafting For A Cure in Israel

I have been on just a couple trips before to Israel, but none have surpassed my expectations like this one.  This trip is by far the best one I have ever had. As the Smiles For All creator and ballerina affiliated with Crafting For A Cure, some of the most amazing things that we did on our trip involved performing all around Israel. Yes, like any other group we did different excursions that were all so incredible. Seeing the many different places along with all the different cultures was truly captivating and eye opening. However, some of my favorite parts of this trip had to have been the visits to all the different hospitals and schools. You had to be there to witness the true magic that took place in those facilities. Seeing so many children’s eyes widening with such happiness no matter what they are going through. Seeing the parents full of emotion while watching their child forget about their pain or problems. And just for one fleeting moment everyone was smiling. To me that is what made this trip undeniably special.

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There is just one specific moment that I would like to mention, that will give you just an idea of how impactful what we do is.  My fellow ballerinas and I were all making our way around the hospital while dancing and smiling. Visiting different clinics and different bedsides, when we arrive to our last visit. One of the hospital staff members tell us you won’t need to dance for this visit, as the patient is blind. This patient unfortunately underwent surgery for cancer and became blind soon after. The girls and I decided that we would bring in a tutu for her, and give her one of our pointed shoes. We all walked in not really knowing what to expect, but when we saw the patient, we all knew exactly what to do. We chatted with the patient a bit and asked if they liked music, and their response was “Of Course!”. We then played a classical piece from the ballet swan lake. I explained to her what the dancer was doing and why she was doing it, and the emotions that went along with the story. The patient was absolutely beaming. I then gave them the tutu and pointed shoes to feel, and said that we were also wearing tiaras on are heads. I bent down to place their hand on the tiara so they could feel it. After talking a bit more we finally said our good byes, leaving the patient smiling from ear to ear. As we all left the room a sigh of relief escaped our mouths. There were so many moments in that room where you wanted to cry but could not. However, the reward of leaving her as happy as she could be was far grater then the tears we kept inside.

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I honestly don’t know any other organization like Crafting For A Cure that doses this and has this grate of an impact. I am truly blessed to be apart of my own mothers’ charity, and I can’t wait to see where it will take us next.

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Naiomi Bielak

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