DANCE FOR HOPE: Kids Inspiring Kids Through Dance BY BRYNN LOVETT MISS WORLD/MALAYSIA 2015

Children currently receiving assistance from MAKNA with Brynn Lovett, Miss Malaysia World 2015

MAKNA is proud to have been chosen as the charity house partner for a dance event to raise funds for cancer patients, organised by Brynn Lovett, the reigning Miss Malaysia World, with the help of 16 children of Rumah Ozanam (PJ). 

Themed Dance for Hope, the event was the brainchild of Brynn, as part of her Beauty with a Purpose project. Brynn has chosen to focus on the cancer cause and to highlight the needs of cancer patients, especially children, due to her personal struggle when she lost her father to cancer at the age of 15. The idea for a dance event was conceived out of her own experience where she used dancing as an outlet to cope with her loss. 

“Dancing helped me get through the pain of my father's death. Whenever I started dancing, all the problems, pain and regret disappear. It made me feel confident and gave me the hope to go on,” explained Brynn. 

For the dance event, Brynn reached out to the young residents of Rumah Ozanam (PJ). “I have always found joy in teaching, sharing and communicating through dance. From my teaching experience, I have learned that dance can give others a chance to shine and to be who they really are; to express themselves and tell a story that will inspire others. I am very grateful that Rumah Ozanam gave me their full support in realising this event,” said Brynn. 

Children currently receiving assistance from MAKNA with Brynn Lovett, Miss Malaysia World 2015

With no more than one month to put the event together, Brynn worked on the choreography of the dance and taught it to her 16 ‘students’. The result was an exuberant display of raw talent that managed at times to eclipse the more accomplished professional dancers whom the children shared a stage with on the event day.

“Having the children of Rumah Ozanam be a part of this project gave me a chance to give not only hope for young cancer patients, but for the children as well. I am happy that they were able to immerse themselves completely in the dance and in the few hours, they were able to hopefully put aside the challenges they face daily and found a healthy, fulfilling channel to express themselves,” she said. “I hope that the children of Rumah Ozanam can walk away from this event with a greater sense of confidence that they, too, can make a difference in the lives of others despite their own adversities. Seeing their enthusiasm, their willingness to learn and to give, when they themselves have so little, is really an inspiration for me.”

Dance for Hope, a one-day only event, successfully raised a total of RM3,500. “With the help of Rumah Ozanam, we managed to raise this amount in very little time. I believe we can do better and I look forward to expanding on this event to continue helping cancer patients in need with kids inspiring kids, and with the giving of hope through dance,” said Brynn.

Brynn will be flying off to China to participate in the upcoming Miss World 2015 final. The beauty pageant will take place in the city of Sanya on 19 December 2015. 

All of us at MAKNA would like to wish Brynn a safe journey and a successful pageant in China! Go Brynn!

 Children currently receiving assistance from MAKNA with Brynn Lovett, Miss Malaysia World 2015