Professional surfers bring good vibes to Miller Children’s Hospital patients

The Mauli Ola Foundation brought a special art workshop to patients at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach last Friday. Members of the Foundation and professional surfers Kalani Robb, Kala Alexander and Teddy Navarro, along with mixed martial arts fighter and Respect in the Cage champion Brian “T-City” Ortega, brought Mauli Ola Foundation signature hats designed specifically for hospitalized children to decorate. The Mauli Ola Foundation and FlexFit teamed up to create hats for the Foundation. Each surfer was able to design his own hat.

“It feels really good to visit Miller Children’s and brighten the day for patients by giving them gifts like art hats, shirts and stickers,” Robb said. “It’s great to have my professional surfing and fighting friends take time out of their busy schedules to lift spirits and share smiles with each patient and their family.”

The Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 2007 to promote awareness of genetic disease and support for patients. In addition to art workshops, one of the Foundation’s programs is Surf Experience Days, which pairs professional surf instructors and novice surf students who have cystic fibrosis to introduce them to the healing properties of exercise, ocean air, achievement and fun in a supportive environment. Hypertonic saline (which is prevalent in the ocean air just above the water’s surface) has been shown to be a natural treatment for people with cystic fibrosis.