It's not often that someone gets the chance to combine two of their favorite things in order to help those in need, but on May 18th, I have the opportunity to do just that. I will be fighting in my first ameteur boxing event, Founder Fights, in order to raise money for those in my community who don't have access to dental care.
I have been a dental hygienist for five years, and I am very familiar with the unfortunate fact that for most, dental care is a luxury. Recent surveys report that the number one reason people do not have recieve regular dental care is due to cost. 69% of people say they cannot afford dental care and one in three people say they are embarrassed by the condition of their teeth. According to the General Surgeon's report, 164 million hours of work is missed each year due to dental disease, and kids in Colorado alone miss about 7.8 million school hours every year because of mouth pain. In fact, childhood dental decay is the most common chronic disease in the United States.
Dental diseases are nearly 100% preventable, however, many people cannot receive the care that is necessary. This leads to pain, infection, tooth loss, difficullty eating and speaking, and decline in overall health.
The Colorado Mission of Mercy is an organization provides quality dental services, at no cost, to individuals of all ages who cannot afford and access dental care. I have volunteered with the Mission of Mercy multiple times in my career, and have witnessed first hand the impact it has on our community and the patients we serve. The Mission of Mercy comes together for two days every year, treats over 1,500 patients, and provides $1 million in free dental care. Patients receive treatment anywhere from cleanings, to removing infected teeth and relieving pain, to fixing broken teeth to give a patient their confidence back.
On May 18th, I will be stepping into the boxing ring for the first time ever to raise money for this charity that is so important to me. I will be posting updates of my training and fundraising along the way. Please follow me along on this journey and donate what you can to help those in need.
https://comom.org/
Founder's Fight: https://www.thecornerboxing.com/founder-fights
Instagram: @apriloberthaler
