[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 63 (Friday, April 30, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S3005]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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              TRIBUTE TO SARA O'MEARA AND YVONNE FEDDERSON

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, today, during Child Abuse Prevention 
Month, I wish I wish to recognize Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, 
founders of the nonprofit child abuse prevention group Childhelp, for 
all of their work on behalf of abused and neglected children. For half 
a century, these two heroes have spoken up for at-risk children and I 
am grateful for their ceaseless work to create better lives for 
children.
  Sara and Yvonne first started this work 50 years ago as American 
actresses when they had a chance encounter with 11 homeless orphans in 
Japan, while entertaining U.S. troops. Sara and Yvonne tried to place 
those children in a Japanese orphanage only to discover they were 
unwelcome because of their mixed race heritage. Returning to 
California, these women founded International Orphans Incorporated, now 
Childhelp, and raised funds that eventually built four orphanages 
caring for abandoned Japanese-American children as well as Vietnamese 
children. Over the years they have worked to create the Childhelp 
Hotline, children's advocacy centers, high-quality foster care homes, 
and training around child abuse prevention.
  In 2008, nearly 800,000 American children were victims of child abuse 
or neglect. Nearly 1,800 of them died as a result. It is our youngest 
children who suffer the brunt of the abuse. Four in ten of those 
fatalities were children younger than one year of age and three in four 
fatalities were younger than four. These statistics are overwhelming. 
But for each individual case, each child who suffers, there is a 
lasting story of pain and loss. Child maltreatment affects the 
emotional and behavioral development of its victims, often for a 
lifetime.
  Without Childhelp these statistics would be even worse. Childhelp's 
professionals and many volunteers focus their efforts on advocacy, 
prevention, treatment, and community outreach. I know my colleagues 
join with me in congratulating these two amazing women and their life's 
work in protecting our most valuable resource, our children.
  Even one case of abuse or neglect is too many. But every child we 
save from maltreatment is a child who can go on to achieve great 
things. For half a century, Childhelp has done so much good for so many 
kids. With Sara and Yvonne's tireless devotion to children in need 
throughout the world, Childhelp is well prepared for another 50 years 
of protecting our children from abuse and neglect.

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