NEW LEBANON, N.Y.---Malina Woodbury was diagnosed at four months old with a hereditary, genetic disorder.
Now in fourth grade, Malina has taken it upon herself to take one of her talents and use it to raise money for research.
"I just wanted to find a cure so other kids don't have to suffer with it," she says. "Wwhen I get older, if they find a cure, hopefully my kids won't have to suffer with it either."
At just nine years old, Malina is looking way into the future and doing something right now.
She lives with Neurofibromatosis Type One. The disorder means different things for different people.
Malina was born with a bent leg and has to wear a brace every day.
"The hardest part is some of the sports I do," she says. "I do dance and I can't get some of the moves perfectly, but running is fine."
Trying to raise money and awareness for "NF" has been apart of Malina's life for years, but her latest venture began in July; making earrings.
In just a few months, she raised $1,500, donating the proceeds to the Children's Tumor Foundation.
Malina keeps only a small profit for herself to buy more supplies to make earrings.
"It amazes me that she could just be sitting down and crying about having NF, but it doesn't do that to her," says Alicia Woodbury, Malina's mother. "It makes her want to give and do even more to find a cure so that other kids someday don't have to suffer with the same disorder. We are just so proud of her and we want to continue to support her. We can't even envision what her future might bring if she's nine and already starting with these big and great ideas to help other people."
"I'm going to keep doing it until I want to end it, which will probably never happen," adds Malina.
In addition to donating money to the Children's Tumor Foundation, Malina has also donated some of her profits to the Down Syndrome Family Group and a close friend who is battling cancer.
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