Newport firefighters dance to help raise money for girl’s surgery

In an effort to help raise money for a potentially life-changing surgery for a 3-year-old girl, the Newport Beach Fire Department has posted a dance video online.

The 90-second film, called “Dare to Dance,” was posted on the department’s Facebook page last week in support of Finley Smallwood, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair.

More than 6,000 people have watched Newport firefighters get their groove on to Meghan Trainor’s “Better When I’m Dancin.’”

Christina Smallwood, Finley’s mother, started the “Dare to Dance” campaign in July after she learned about a $60,000 surgery that could possibly help her daughter walk again but was not covered by her insurance.

The Smallwoods, who live in Eastvale, created a profile on YouCaring, a crowdfunding website. They were able to acquire enough money for Finley’s surgery by August.

Now, the family has a goal of raising $100,000 total to help with future surgeries.

Finley’s surgery is scheduled Oct. 26.

“She spent her first few hours of life fighting alone in a room hooked up to a ventilator,” Smallwood wrote in a post on Finley’s YouCaring webpage.

“I’ll never forget the first time I laid my eyes on her. I was so scared and so in love. I just wanted to climb in her little incubator and tell her, ‘I’ll always protect you and I promise to give you the world.’”