Hello there! We are Karen and Kelly Lee.

We are Hmong daughters from Fresno, California, with firsthand experience of the harsh realities faced by our community members receiving healthcare. We are fundraising for our education at Ross University School of Medicine. This is not only essential for our personal goals but also holds the potential to rectify the systemic issue of a lack of quality healthcare in our underrepresented communities.

Growing up in poverty, there is always limited access to high-quality healthcare, making individuals more susceptible to diseases leading to premature mortality. We witnessed the struggles of our parents working double jobs to provide us with the best healthcare possible to ensure we live a healthy and long life. Even so, multiple jobs were not the solution to this systemic issue of insufficient healthcare. Our access to proper healthcare was limited by inaccessible transportation, the high cost of care, and expensive medications that money could not entirely fathom. Besides, there is a profound distrust in doctors as minorities return home with ambiguous medical advice or treatment plans.

Despite our parents' hardships, they instilled in us the importance of education and the desire to improve and restore our community. These experiences shaped our aspirations and ignited a deep passion within us to positively impact the lives of others, particularly those with limited access to high-quality healthcare. We wanted to be the voice for those who struggle to access proper healthcare and provide them with the best high-technology interventions, from basic diagnostic testing to treatments, as well as access to affordable potent drugs and clinics. This will give everyone an opportunity for a safe and rewarding experience.

With this motivation, we pursued our B.S. degree at Oregon State University. It was challenging to move away from home and adjust to an unfamiliar environment. Little did we know, it was only a small portion of our struggles, as we faced the financial challenge of paying our rent and obtaining school materials. Thankfully, our parents also moved to Oregon to help us. We settled with them, commuting a long distance of about an hour and a half to school every day for four years. At the same time, we were balancing our extracurricular activities, academics, and work. Despite these struggles, we had a clear goal in mind, and without discouragement, we persisted and completed our undergraduate studies on time.

After graduation, we took two gap years working as medical assistants and scribes in various specialties, still commuting an hour to work every day. These experiences allowed us to gain valuable firsthand knowledge of healthcare and advance our skills in patient care and communication. With these positions, we were able to provide our patients with a wide range of help, from supplying them with coupons for expensive drugs to paying attention to non-verbal cues to meet their needs. Still, our goal to reduce healthcare disparities is limited to entry-level jobs. Our work and dedication to the field of medicine were commended by the physicians, who recognized our passion. This affirmation served as a reminder of the great responsibility that comes with being a physician and fueled our determination to excel in our studies. Our acceptance into Ross University School of Medicine brings us one step closer to fulfilling our goal.

However, medical education costs are exorbitant, and as aspiring doctors, we continue to face significant financial challenges. Therefore, to alleviate the financial burden and enable us to focus on our education, we kindly ask for your support through fundraising. Your contribution will not only help us achieve our dream but will also have a profound impact on the communities we aim to serve. You would be assisting us to make a difference in the lives of countless individuals who lack access to high-quality healthcare. Thank you for your support and contribution.