My name is Dawn Hunt.

I was born addicted to drugs.

Before I ever opened my eyes, my body was already fighting.

But this story is not about where I started.

It’s about what I chose to become anyway.

A Childhood That Could Have Gone Another Way

I grew up in instability, surrounded by circumstances no child should have to understand.

Later in life I struggled, made mistakes, and even faced arrest during a painful chapter I’m not proud of.

But my life didn’t stay there.

Two extraordinary people changed my path forever.

An immigrant mother and a retired Black soldier chose to adopt not just me, but eight children in total while raising their own as well. We had very little financially, yet our home overflowed with discipline, resilience, and love.

There was no college fund waiting for me.

There was only a choice:

Repeat the cycle… or break it.

I chose to break it.

Becoming a Nurse

I worked constantly.

Night shifts. Double shifts. Weekends. Holidays.

I paid for school the only way I knew how, one paycheck at a time, and became a Licensed Practical Nurse.

For the first time in my life, my past wasn’t defining me.

I was helping people heal.

But something inside me kept whispering:

You can do more.

I didn’t just want to treat illness.

I wanted to understand it, prevent it, and bring care to people who have none.

My dream became to serve with Doctors Without Borders, providing medical care in places where doctors are a luxury.

Medical School: The Leap of Faith

I enrolled at Caribbean Medical University and moved to Curaçao to pursue my medical degree.

No safety net.

No wealthy backing.

Just faith, discipline, and relentless work.

I am currently continuing my journey toward becoming a physician while working and raising funds piece by piece to stay enrolled and progress through the program.

This isn’t a one-time hurdle.

Medical school is a long road, and I am walking it step by step, paycheck by paycheck.

Why I’m Asking For Help

I have carried myself as far as I possibly can alone.

I work, I budget, and I sacrifice constantly, but medical education is designed for people who have financial support systems. Many students rely on family funding. I don’t have that option.

Your support helps cover:

• Tuition and academic fees

• Licensing exams

• Required medical equipment and materials

• Living expenses while studying full-time

You’re not just helping me stay in school.

You’re helping create a doctor who will serve people that the healthcare system forgets.

The Doctor I’m Becoming

I know what it feels like to be vulnerable.

To depend on someone showing up for you.

That’s exactly the kind of physician I’m becoming.

One who listens longer.

One who judges less.

One who remembers that every patient has a story before a diagnosis.

And one day, I plan to take those skills beyond hospitals and into underserved communities across the world.

If You Choose To Help

Every donation, share, and message tells me I’m not walking this alone.

You’re not just funding education.

You’re investing in a life that refused to follow its statistics.

I was born into addiction.

I grew up in hardship.

I stumbled, stood back up, and chose healing.

Now I’m choosing medicine.

Thank you for believing in me.

With gratitude,

Dawn Hunt