World of Children Awards Honorees Announced

Five Child Advocates to be Recognized for Heroic Work with Children at

Annual Awards Ceremony on Thursday, November 2 in New York City

World of Children®, a global recognition and funding organization for individuals exclusively serving the needs of vulnerable children, announced its 2017 Honorees – an extraordinary group of real-life heroes who have dramatically improved the lives of children around the world. This year’s recipients have each lead high-impact programs in health, education, protection, humanitarianism, and more. World of Children, celebrating its 20th anniversary, will honor the recipients at the annual World of Children Awards 2017 on Thursday, November 2 at 583 Park Avenue in New York City.

 “20 years ago, we knew that some of the bravest and most courageous people around the world were going unnoticed, and this organization was created to change just that,” said World of Children Co-Founder Harry Leibowitz. “Today, we have the privilege of not only sharing these life-changing stories, but supporting the heroic efforts of our Honorees with funds raised by our generous donors.”

2017 Honoree Dr. Ustun Ezer, founder of LOSEV

 The evening will also honor Cindi Leive (Editor-in-Chief, Glamour) and Ann O’Malley (World of Children Board Member) with the World of Children Board of Governors’ Award for their unwavering dedication to the organization and elevating awareness for child advocates. Lily Aldridge Followill (Internationally renowned model, World of Children Ambassador), Stephanie March (Actress, World of Children Board Member), and Caryl Stern (President of U.S. Fund for UNICEF) will speak at the Awards Ceremony. Alina Cho (Editor at Large, Ballantine Bantam Dell, World of Children Advisory Council Member) will host the event as Master of Ceremonies.

2017 Honoree Teagan Stedman, founder of Shred Kids' Cancer

Recognized as the “Nobel Prize for Child Advocates,” Honorees will receive a grant to help their program grow and ultimately impact the lives of even more children.

2017 Honoree Winnie Barron, founder of the Makindu Children's Program

 This year’s Honorees include:

• 2017 World of Children Education Honoree: Maureen Rover, founder of The Reading Team, is boosting elementary school literacy rates by instilling a lifelong love and enthusiasm for reading in children from New York’s disadvantaged communities. Since its inception, The Reading Team has grown from teaching 70 students in 2000 to over 700 today.
• 2017 World of Children Health Honoree: Dr. Üstün Ezer, founder of LOSEV, is increasing the survival rate of children with leukemia by pioneering an innovative medical, financial, and educational support system in Turkey. LOSEV provides children with leukemia and chronic blood disorders access to free, life-saving treatment and a strong, holistic support system. Before LOSEV was founded, only 22% of children with leukemia survived. Now, about 92% of children survive.
• 2017 World of Children Humanitarian Honoree: Winnie Barron, founder of the Makindu Children’s Program, is breaking the cycle of poverty through a community-based approach to the care, education, and empowerment for the most vulnerable children in Makindu – a rural region of eastern Kenya.
• 2017 World of Children Protection Honoree: Jackie Branfield, founder of Operation Bobbi Bear, is rebuilding the justice system for children in South Africa who have been abused so they can gain access to treatment, recovery, and care. Operation Bobbi Bear acts as a filter between police and children who have been assaulted. Children who report abuse are taken to a safe, comfortable place, rather than an intimidating environment, where they are given a bear on which to draw.
• 2017 World of Children Youth Honoree: Teagan Stedman, founder of Shred Kids’ Cancer, is developing a new market for pediatric cancer research by fusing the power of music and the unstoppable energy of young people, showing children diagnosed with cancer that other youth are fighting the disease alongside them. At just 18 years old—using the funds raised through Shred Kids’ Cancer—he has created a new drug delivery system for pediatric cancer that is currently in clinical trials.

 The event’s Honorary Chairs include Andy Adler; Lily Aldridge Followill and Caleb Followill; Frances and Francis Fraenkel; Beth and Jim Gold; Maggi and Matthew Goldstein; Anne Hathaway and Adam Shulman; Lauren Bush Lauren and David Lauren; Stephanie March and Dan Benton; Sandy Sholl and Lionel Mendoza. World of Children is led by Co-Founders Harry Leibowitz and Kay Isaacson-Leibowitz, retired senior executives from Procter & Gamble and Victoria’s Secret respectively.