Help a biomedical engineering student continue her education

My name is Birva, and I am an international student from Angola majoring in biomedical engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. My dream is to pursue a Ph.D. and contribute to medical advancements by collaborating with medical professionals worldwide to address health disparities and create solutions that make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

Since childhood, I have witnessed the impact of limited healthcare access firsthand. I have seen both my mother who is a hypertension fighter and other family members struggling and dying due to lack of medical resources. These experiences have deeply influenced me, making me acutely aware of the disparities in healthcare access and fueling my passion for biomedical engineering, with a particular focus on cardiovascular disease.

I completed my second year in the spring of 2024 at Stevens, where I also have been involved in studying ovarian cancer and amino acid metabolism at Dr. Marcin Iwanick’s lab. This lab experience helped me to understand biological principles and helped me secure an summer research fellowship this summer at the University of Washington, please check out the following link as a referral (https://iscrm.uw.edu/student/birva-pinto/). My research focused on Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM), and its impact on heart muscle disease. I studied how a specific mutation can cause DCM. I also tested the ability of a troponin c protein activator to improve the therapeutic potential for treatments for this disease. This research was crucial to my learning, as it aligns with my long-term goal of improving healthcare accessibility and treatment options, not only for my family and community back in Angola, but also for people worldwide.

Growing up in Angola, where access to advanced education and medical resources is limited, I could never have imagined the opportunity to study biomedical engineering in the United States. This journey has not been easy, but it has been incredibly rewarding. I have learned so much, academically, professionally, and personally, and I am more determined than ever to make a difference in the world. However, my financial situation has become increasingly difficult. Despite working hard to secure funding and manage my expenses, I now find myself in a position where I am unable to register for the upcoming semester due to unpaid tuition from last semester. I urgently need your support to help me continue my education and achieve my goals.

Your donation will directly go towards covering my tuition fees, allowing me to stay enrolled at Stevens Institute of Technology and continue working as a researcher. Any amount you can contribute will make a significant difference and bring me one step closer to my dream of becoming a biomedical engineer who can make a positive impact on global health.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for considering supporting my education. Your generosity means a lot to me and will help me overcome this challenging time.