Dear Friends and family,

I am reaching out with a heavy heart and hopeful spirit for my cousin, JoJo, a beautiful brave young woman. She is just 19 years old and for most of her life has been treated with medications and surgery. Her life depends on an electronic heart powered by a rechargeable battery. A ventricular assist device (VAD). A VAD is a mechanical pump implanted in the chest to help the heart pump blood when the heart is too weak to do so on its own. Sir Magdy Yacoub, a renowned heart surgeon, has used and advanced such technologies in his work, especially for patients with severe heart failure like JoJo.

Heart transplants in Egypt face significant challenges and are effectively restricted due to a combination of legal, ethical, and cultural factors. Islamic law (Sharia) heavily influences Egypt's legal system, and there have been debates within the religious community about the permissibility of organ donation and transplantation. For this reason, JoJo is unable to get a heart transplant in Egypt and will ultimately need the VAD to sustain her life.

JoJo’s VAD was implanted in 2017 after severe heart failure and her journey has been nothing short of a miracle. Her battery needs constant recharging to keep her alive. If the battery fails, her life is at risk. Recently the VAD failed and she had to undergo over 30 hours of revision surgery this past Friday to save her life. She is currently in the ICU in Aswan Egypt and her family is still unable to see her.

Recently, JoJo faced a critical moment that required blood donations to stabilize her condition. Thanks to the kindness of donors and the dedication of her medical team, she is now stable. However, her recovery is taking place in a country where access to healthcare is incredibly challenging. JoJo will ultimately need a heart transplant in the near future so funds will also go toward the possibility of getting her a heart transplant outside of Egypt if the opportunity presents itself.

Please join us in praying for JoJo and consider donating to help her continue fighting. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us closer to ensuring her heart keeps beating.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity.