Help Me to Cover My Mother's Medical Expenses
Donation protected
Hello! My name is Vivine Kampire. I am part of the Class of 2024 at Sewanee and an international student from Kigali, Rwanda. I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in French. Most of my friends know about my mother because she's been sick basically since my childhood. My mother is HIV positive, and she's been taking mental health medication since 2006. Around the end of 2020, they found out that she has diabetes, then a few days later, they found out about hypertension. She's been struggling with other different opportunistic diseases attacking her health. She is in the hospital now, and the recently performed CT Scan shows that she might be developing cancer between her stomach and the small intestines.I am praying that maybe the doctors are wrong about cancer. While this has been an emotional roller coaster on my family, I carry a financial burden to support my family. I am grateful that I can earn money to send money home through my work-study. However, it is getting harder and harder. I am the firstborn, and I have one sibling, a younger sister who was eight months old when our father passed away in 2003.
In January 2021, I took a flight to Rwanda when doctors said my mother was in a critical condition; they were unsure if she would make it. She made it. While in Rwanda, I took my mom from Nyamasheke, Western Province, to Kigali to access medical care easily. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but my aunt, who takes care of my mother day by day, supported me. At first, they stayed in the house that my aunt was renting (my aunt is a widow and has seven kids), but it was a small house to accommodate both of them and my cousins and sister. I decided to look for a slightly bigger house they are staying in now. I am very grateful for my aunt for all she does for my mom with a very humble and loving heart.I am thankful for my mother's life. Her journey has not been easy, but she's persevered through it all until today. She inspires me to keep doing my best. Through work-study here at Sewanee, I can pay the house rent, food, medical expenses, my sister's and cousin's school materials. I send my money home. I am happy to do it; it makes me happy to see that I help my family during these difficult times. However, I cannot deny that it has been a lot on me. If not for CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) at Sewanee, I think I would have given up. Going to therapy sessions helps me a lot to stay positive and motivated.A friend helped me find a therapist for my mother as well, and I was happy my mother said yes to that. It's been giving her more strength and hope.
While I drop to my knees to storm heaven with my prayers for my mother, I know I need to keep supporting her financially. Your help with this fundraiser will be greatly appreciated, and I will use it to cover my mother's medical expenses. During these difficult times, this will be a way to keep her hopeful. I want to keep being there for her as she has always been there for me. It will also directly help me to stay focused on my classes. I am still processing all that's going on, but I am trying my best to care for myself. I realized that sometimes time doesn't ease the pain, but we keep learning to live with it. So, we are all doing the best we know-how.
Thank you so much for your support! I will keep you updated on how everything will be going.
Vivine Kampire
Organiser
Vivine Kampire
Organiser
Sewanee, TN