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One of the boons of the Internet is that it can be used to help those in need by spreading information quickly and widely: disseminating descriptions of missing children, raising money to treat sick children, requesting prayers for desperately ill children, helping to fulfill the last wishes of dying children.
Unfortunately, this boon has also proved to be a double-edged sword. Appeals for help get out quickly and spread widely, but they also never go away. Our inboxes continue to be clogged with messages about missing children who have long since been found or sick children who have long since recovered (or died), not to mention a plethora of missives that are nothing but mean-spirited hoaxes. |
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Kidnappings:
Children are being kidnapped by abductors who cut the hair and change the clothes of their victims.*
Allen, Sabrina Fair:
A five-year-old girl named Sabrina Fair Allen is missing from her Austin, Texas, home.
Arlington, Rachel:
AOL and ZDNet are donating 32¢ Beerman, Jermaine:
A billionaire has promised 5¢ Bergstroem, Hannes:
Your help is needed to identify a young tsunami victim and reunite him with his family.*
Brown, Penny:
Nine-year-old Penny Brown is missing.*
Bruce, Amy:
The Make-A-Wish Foundation will donate 7¢ for every copy of the Amy Bruce Bucklew, David "Darren":
The "Lung and Cancer Association" will donate 3¢ to cancer research for every copy of the David Bucklew Bundy, Amanda:
A little girl named Amanda Bundy is dying from a deadly cancer.*
Cohen, Jada:
A billionaire has promised 5¢ Costea, Ionut:
Ionut Costea, an injured Romanian child in need of expensive medical treatment, needs your help.*
Degree, Asha:
A little girl named Asha Degree is missing.*
de Leon, Jeff:
The Make-A-Wish Foundation will donate 7¢ for every copy of the Jeff de Leon Desquetado, Rhyan:
The Make-A-Wish Foundation will donate 7¢ for every copy of the Rhyan Desquetado Farber, Nicholas:
Nicholas Farber, a nine-year-old boy abducted from his California home by gunmen, is still missing.*
Foraker, Savannah:
Three unnamed corporate sponsors will donate 5¢ per Flyte, Timothy:
The "Valley Children's Hospital" will donate 7¢ to the "National Disease Society" for every copy of the Timothy Flyte Godron-Wood, Shyanne Josephine:
Shyanne Josephine Godron-Wood of Henderson, Nevada is missing.
Hafeez, Fatima:
BCC Inc. has promised 5¢ Hembree, Brayden:
Little Brayden Hembree is lying in a coma in a South Carolina hospital.*
Hennigan, Briana:
A 13-year-old girl named Briana Hennigan is missing from her Zachary, Louisiana, home.*
Hoenstine, Faith:
Faith Hoenstine, a multiple-amputee girl dying of cancer, wants you to send her get well cards.*
Hornbeck, Shawn:
An 11-year-old boy named Shawn Hornbeck is missing from his Missouri home.*
Jackson, LaNisha:
The Make-A-Wish Foundation will donate 7¢ for every copy of the LaNisha Jackson Jones, Kelsey Brooke:
A little kid named Kelsey Brooke Jones is missing, and your help is needed to find her.*
Koopmans, Jessica:
A child named Jessica Koopmans is missing.*
Mallory, Justin:
McDonalds and Pizza Hut will donate $1 per Martin, Tamara:
Every copy of the Tamara Martin Mineo, Christopher John:
A 5-year-old boy named Christopher John Mineo is missing.*
Mydek, Jessica:
The American Cancer Society will donate 3¢ to cancer research for every copy of the Jessica Mydek Natalie:
AOL is donating 5 cents per e-mail forward towards the care of Natalie, a child afflicted with brain cancer.*
Novenche, Michael:
Michael Novenche is undergoing chemotherapy to kill a brain tumor.*
Parkin, Anthony:
Dying boy named Anthony Parkin wants his chain message to circulate after his death.
Parrish, Delaney:
A baby girl named Delaney Parrish pulled a hot Fry Daddy onto herself, resulting in serious burns.*
Pingel, Lauren Renee:
Prayers are requested for Lauren Renee Pingel, a three-year-old girl from Amarillo, Texas, who was injured in an automobile accident.
Relek, Kalin:
BCC Inc. has promised 5¢ Ryan, Lindsey:
A 14-year-old Michigan girl named Lindsey Ryan is missing.
Santillan, Jesica:
Prayers are needed for the survival of Sarkies, Ashlyn:
A 16-year-old girl named Ashlyn Sarkies is missing from her Louisiana home.*
Schmidt, Krystava Patients:
A child named Krystava Patients Schmidt is missing.*
Smart, Elizabeth Ann:
A 14-year-old Salt Lake City girl by the name of Elizabeth Smart is missing.
Solidaridad Con Brian:
ISPs will contribute 1¢ towards a child's heart transplant for every copy of the Solidaridad Con Brian message forwarded to someone else.*
Steinmetz, Aaron Russell:
A toddler named Aaron Russell Steinmetz is missing.
Tennis, Sophia:
A little girl from Phoenix named Sophia Tennis is missing.*
Thomson, Dean:
A 7th-grader named Dean Thomson was badly injured in a sledding accident.
van Dam, Danielle:
A 7-year-old girl by the name of Danielle van Dam is missing from her San Diego-area home.*
Veski, Laima:
A 5-year-old Latvian girl named Laima Veski needs money for medicine.
Waters, Nick:
15-year-old Nick Waters wants 10,000 Christmas cards.
Wightman, Kayla:
The Make-A-Wish Foundation will donate 7¢ for every copy of the Kayla Wightman Zhang, Cecilia:
9-year-old Cecilia Zhang is missing from her Toronto home.
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