Dear Friends & Family,
In September 2024, I will return to Oraifite, Nigeria, to participate in my second pediatric open-heart medical mission with the VOOM Foundation.
Our team will utilize our expertise to train and educate the local cardiac staff at the Dame Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital. We will also focus our care on underserved patients and those who cannot afford the high cost of open-heart surgery.
In 2013, there was no single facility in Nigeria where you could receive heart surgery. These findings ignited the VOOM Foundation to partner with local hospitals and provide infrastructure, equipment, and supplies to start local programs. We are proud to say that in 2023, VOOM led all healthcare facilities in Nigeria in open-heart procedures performed. An amazing accomplishment, but it just goes to show how much work needs to be done, and I am excited to be part of this mission.
Last year we had a list of over 250 kids waiting for surgery and were able to complete 16 surgeries. This year we are really looking forward to helping even more children that need it. This September, we will be running two operating rooms simultaneously and bringing two surgeons in order to help as many kids as we can.
If you feel called, I am raising funds to help cover the extra costs of travel, sourcing of medical supplies, patient surgeries, and ensuring the longevity of VOOM Foundation and our mission program.
With much love and gratitude,
Lyndzi