This young woman, the recipient of our 13th life-saving surgery, may appear fragile at first glance — her illness has taken a visible toll. But when you sit with her, you can hear the strength in her voice, and feel the deep determination in her spirit. She never described her experience as one of violation or defeat. Instead, she remains hopeful about her surgery and speaks passionately about her dream to help others by raising awareness about Rheumatic Heart Disease in her community.
She has the severe kind of Mitral valve stenosis and her condition forced her to discontinue school early. Fatigue and shortness of breath made it impossible to keep up with classes, play with friends, or support her already struggling mother. Life slowly narrowed, until now. mitral valve replacement was made possible through Healing Valves Ethiopia (HVE), is not just a medical procedure — it’s a second chance for her.
Let her courage remind us: behind every frail body is a story of untold strength, and behind every surgery, a heart ready to dream again
