Myla Bui can fold an origami crane in two minutes.
After Leila Bui was hospitalized with serious, life-changing injuries, the Saanich teen sat at her sister’s bedside learning origami – the moment she was crossed outside her home by a driver in 2017 The result of hitting. In the sterile room of that hospital hangs a flowing dripping colorful paper crane, provided by a family friend.
It provides a highlight as Myla first learns about the Japanese legend that grants the wish of the person who folds 1,000 origami cranes.
Captivated, she started folding for fun.
A few years ago, her mom, Kairry Nguyen, suggested that the now 13-year-old take charity classes, Myla recalls.
One of the steps for the Coast Capital Savings Foundation of Youth Giving Hearts Workshop was to launch a fundraiser – Myla’s brother suggested origami.
While the workshop required youth to do fundraising as part of the curriculum, implementation was Myla’s idea.
In 2020, Myla launched a campaign called 1,001 Cranes 1 Wish – add a crane for good luck.
She folded the crane at a fundraiser. When she owned 1,001 cranes, Myla made a cell phone, and Help Fill a Dream recipients received funds and wishes in the form of cell phones.
She chose Help Fill A Dream Foundation as a donor. The organization helped the family build ramps and obtain accessible vehicles to get Leila, who has always been wheelchair dependent, home.
In the nearly three years since, she has created more than a dozen mobile installations — at least 12,012 cranes — for young people facing health issues.
Help Fill a Dream Foundation provides support to families on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands whose lives are suddenly interrupted by a child’s diagnosis or a serious health challenge.
Since then, she’s honed her craft and in 2021 launched an initiative with Help Fill a Dream Foundation to help raise hope and money.
Now in 8th grade at Arbutus Global School, she’s folded at least 12,012 cranes to create 12 mobiles for Help Fill a Dream, and sometimes needs a little help. Late last month, she showed off her latest phone, fully funded by an anonymous benefactor, to a girl hoping (and already granted) to visit Japan.
With this wish in mind, Myla created a mobile phone with the Japanese character for “dream” written on it.
Aside from philanthropy, origami remains a time of family bonding.
Myla and her mom often build cranes while watching TV with Leila.
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