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-Ron Lapitan, Former Community Outreach Coordinator

The Center for Health and Human Rights began our support of Firouz in 2016. A young immigrant from Iran, Firouz worked two non-stop jobs as a waitress and an evening nurse when she unexpectedly felt a crippling pain in her legs. She was diagnosed with leukemia, a cancer of the blood that destroys body functioning. Her chemotherapy began that day.

Unable to work due to the effects of the leukemia and chemotherapy, Firouz lost both jobs and her health coverage, though the supervisor of her restaurant contributed to her treatment costs for the first 6 months because she had been such a hard worker. CHHR then took full responsibility for the costs of her treatments, organizing tireless benefit events until she could be enrolled in Medicaid. Firouz also received numerous visits in the hospital from CHHR staff and community to keep her spirits high throughout the painful chemotherapy process.

In 2017, CHHR also carried out a campaign to find Firouz a bone marrow donor match. As her treatments continue, the Center continues to lighten Firouz’s load by covering the full costs of her rent during the next year when she will not be able to work. Please join us in our support of a truly deserving patient and individual!

Contribute to Firouz’s campaign here. Any contribution counts!: https://www.healthasright.org/causes-grid/

“I want to appreciate them [the donors] for being so kind to me. They’re sending me positive energy, and they want to save my life. I like them truly from all of my heart.”

-Firouz Khafaji

-Ron Lapitan, Former Community Outreach Coordinator

The Center for Health and Human Rights began our support of Maryam Hatami in 2015. A university student from Iran who immigrated to Northern VA to study, Maryam discovered a lump in her breast but decided not to seek medical attention, hoping instead that the lump would disappear because she had no health insurance. When CHHR offered her a free biopsy, the Center diagnosed her with an advanced stage of breast cancer and urged an immediate surgery chemotherapy to stop the aggressive mass.

Because Maryam and her husband came to Northern VA without family or a community of support, they could not afford the $30,000 treatments. CHHR’s team became her community of support and took full responsibility for the costs, spending the next month tirelessly organizing benefit events and outreach. The community responded with an outpouring of support in the form of individual donations, fundraisers by middle school groups, and a benefit concert hosted by Persian pop singer and CHHR board member Rana Mansour. By the end of the year, Maryam had completed the surgery and chemotherapy. In addition, she had no debts thanks to the support of the CHHR community.

6 months later, Maryam’s breast cancer has returned at a time when her husband has been laid off from work, and the couple is struggling financially. CHHR continues to support her and plans to organize more benefit events to assist with her treatments. Please join us in our continued support of a truly deserving patient and individual!

Hear Maryam tell her story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cg2-Th6XS4

Contribute to Maryam’s campaign here. Any contribution counts!: https://www.healthasright.org/causes-grid/

“Sometimes you might feel that this moment is the end of the world. You are tired of fighting for your life back, but the fact is we should never give up. We have to keep our minds sharp and our spirits strong.”

-Maryam Hatami