My name is Sabrina, and I am a medical student at U of H who has dreamed for as long as I can remember of becoming a physician. I come from a single-parent household and grew up in poverty, but I worked hard to earn a full ride to TCU and continue pursuing my education in medicine. Throughout all of this, I have been living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa since I was 12 years old. It is an auto-inflammatory condition that causes deep, painful nodules and tunnels under the skin. I have already undergone more than 30 surgeries, and I kept pushing through school hoping I could avoid another one. But during my general surgery rotation, the long hours of standing, walking, and constant friction against my skin caused my condition to worsen dramatically, leaving me in excruciating pain and eventually hospitalized for over a week. 

I now need an extensive surgery and face a long recovery of about 4 to 6 months away from school. This unexpected but necessary break has created serious financial strain for me. My government loans were retroactively reclaimed upon missing school due to being in the ER. I live alone in Houston and will be recovering without familial support. Loans that would have been used for rent and food have been withdrawn leaving me without means to support myself as I navigate my excruciating medical circumstances. Funds raised will help cover my surgeries, living expenses, and tuition as I manage my absence from school. Any amount you’re able to donate will truly go a long way. If you are not able to give, sharing my fundraiser would also mean so much. Thank you for supporting me as I take this pause to heal my body so that I may continue to pursue becoming the physician I have always dreamed of being.