FOR THE LOVE OF CHILDREN Sara O’Meara and Yvonne Fedderson celebrate 60 years of Childhelp “The answer to life is in service to others.” These are not just words spoken by Sara O’Meara, co-founder of Childhelp. It’s the way she’s spent the past 60 years. O’Meara and fellow Childhelp co-founder Yvonne Fedderson founded the organization in 1959. At the time, they were young Hollywood starlets. By chance they both landed roles on a project that would take them overseas. That assignment would change the course of their lives. Together they began rescuing so-called “throwaway children” in Japan and Vietnam. “We never dreamed it would be our whole life. We were actresses at the time,” O’Meara said. They went on to build nine orphanages, a hospital and a school in Japan and Vietnam. The young actresses were quickly recognized as child advocates in the United States and they were personally asked by Nancy Reagan to lead the fight against child abuse here at home. So they did. “The Ladies,” as they are famously known, went on to build the very first residential treatment center for child abuse in the nation and defied all of their naysayers along the way. THEY DID IT WITH PERSEVERANCE AND PRAYER “Any time you try to do anything good, you are going to have the other side that is not always as complimentary, and other people may find fault,” O’Meara said. “The main ingredient is perseverance. If you know something is the right thing to do, you cannot let anyone discourage you.” Fedderson adds that every step has been guided by faith. “We pray about everything. God is the CEO of our organization … that’s for sure,” she said. Led by O’Meara and Fedderson, Childhelp built advocacy centers and group homes for children already affected by child abuse; created prevention programs like Childhelp Speak Up Be Safe, which they hope to see implemented in schools nationwide; and established the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline, where trained professionals answer the phones in more than 150 languages. And recently, they added text messaging. Children in crisis can text 1-800-4-A-CHILD and receive immediate help. Now 85 and 84 (Fedderson points out she’s younger), Carey Peña | Contributing Writer CAREY’S CORNER {carey peña reports} 16 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | FEBRUARY 2019

Yvonne Fedderson ( above left ) and Sara O'Meara ( above right ) first met in 1958 on the set of “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet.” Theyʼve been friends ever since. Childhelp co-founders Yvonne Fedderson and Sara OʼMeara started the organization from the ground up and have grown it to help millions of children around the world. FEBRUARY 2019 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA 17