Katharine Mcphee Teams With Malaria No More to Launch 'Dream Big' Campaign

Press release (Jan. 17, 2012) — "Smash" star Katharine McPhee has joined forces with Malaria No More on the “Dream Big” campaign, an effort to help end malaria deaths in Africa and help children achieve their dreams. Beginning Jan. 17, people can text “DREAM” to 85944 for the chance to take a trip to Africa with Katharine McPhee and make a $10 donation to Malaria No More; every donation will treat a child for malaria.

The campaign runs through February 16, and kicks off a year of activities on behalf of Malaria No More; Katharine’s declared cause for 2012. Click here to view a video from Katharine and see Official Rules for other ways to enter.

“I share a dream with Malaria No More, and that’s to see a day when no one is dying from malaria,” said "Smas"h star Katharine McPhee. “Until that day comes, I’m committed to fighting the disease and look forward to helping kids in Africa have a greater chance at achieving their dreams."

How “Dream Big” works:
Within 24 hours of texting “DREAM” to 85944, entrants will receive a link for an online form to enter their contact information and one sentence about their own dream for Africa. Ten finalists will be chosen and asked to submit a 300-word blog and a simple thirty second video on why they’re the best person for the trip. The applicant with the best blog post and video will receive a call and be named winner of “Dream Big”! The campaign will also launch on Facebook here.

Katharine McPhee and the “Dream Big” winner will travel to the school she helped build in Burkina Faso and to Ghana to distribute life-saving mosquito nets and to share malaria education with students.

“Every action — from a fan making a $10 donation to a child receiving a life-saving dose of malaria medicine — makes a difference,” said David Bowen, CEO of Malaria No More. “We’re thrilled to have Katharine and her fans joining the winnable fight against malaria.”

Malaria robs more children of their dreams than any other disease in Africa, killing a child every minute. Yet, it’s completely preventable and treatable — and with every text helping to treat a child for malaria, the world will be closer to reaching its goal of near zero malaria deaths by 2015.