Tilahun has suffered from rheumatic heart fever and mitral stenosis (a condition that prevents the heart’s mitral valve from fully opening) for the last thirteen years. For as long as he can remember, Tilahun has dealt with fatigue, shortness of breath, and chest pain on a daily basis.
Tilahun lives in a mud hut without electricity or running water. His parents, both farmers, have spent most of their meager incomes on his medical expenses, and their resources are running out. Tilahun is extremely bright. He ranks fourth out of sixty-five students in his class! Seriously, ALL this kid does is study, with occasional breaks to watch his favorite soccer teams play. Tilahun’s dream is to continue his education and become a teacher.
Recently, Tilahun’s condition has become so bad that he’s had to make the agonizing decision to leave school. His doctors say that if left untreated, his condition could cause heart failure. We need to raise $1,575 so Tilahun can afford to fly to India and get the treatment that can save his life. Let’s do this!