Mackenzie_BearupA 16-year-old girl, Mackenzie Bearup contracted a painful disease that would leave most children hopeless and resentful; instead she was prompted to soothe her pain and share a glimmer of hope with the homeless and abused children around her.

The disease, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, leaves the patient in excruciating pain and has no cure. During her treatment, she found that reading books was the greatest escape to help her through. She decided that other children experiencing pain, emotional and physical, could relate so she decided to find a way to help others.

“Reading isn’t just an escape, you can learn a lot, too, and that’s very important for homeless and abused children,” said Bearup. “Staying in high school is one of the things that will help you most in life, to be able to get a job and be able to support yourself.”

Since 2007, Bearup has collected and donated more than 38,000 books for homeless and abused children in six states.  Recently, she launched “Sheltering Books” as she hopes to continue sharing her remedy with the world.

To read more about Mackenzie, visit http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/04/08/cnnheroes.mackenzie.bearup/