Meet Paola, a fifth grade student from Port-au-Prince in Haiti. She is an only child, and she lives with her mother, Natalie.
Paola loves school. Her favorite subject is Creole, and she really likes to read. She also likes to play a lot of games, and she loves to eat. Her favorite meal is vegetable stew with rice and a glass of Haitian cherry juice.
When Paola was 11 months old, she sustained burns to her face from an oven fire. Even though she went to the hospital, she did not receive any treatment. Paola cannot close her eyes properly, as this puts strain on her eyelids. Her eyes water a lot, and she occasionally experiences a bit of bleeding.
On March 4, Paola will undergo a skin graft surgery to repair her burn injury. This surgery will help Paola’s eyes become more functional and allow her to close them. Our medical partner, Innovating Health International (IHI), is requesting $1,095 to pay for Paola’s surgery.
Paola hopes the surgery will improve the way she looks. She shares with IHI that she wants to be a doctor when she grows up so that she can help and heal those who are sick.