A Mother’s Faith, A Son’s Healing: Nathan’s Journey
When I look back, I can only say it was the presence of God that carried us through. There were many moments when I felt I could not do this alone and I was right, I couldn’t. Prayer kept me grounded. It gave me the strength to keep going for my son, Nathan, and his brothers.
Nathan was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at age five in Tanzania. As a baby, he was often sick with fevers, infections, and severe pain. His hemoglobin levels were dangerously low, and his growth was stunted. School became a constant cycle of being present for two weeks and sick at home for two weeks. I knew my son’s future in Tanzania was uncertain. In 2020, after much prayer, I made the difficult decision to leave everything behind and come to the United States for the sake of my children’s survival. By 2023, Nathan joined me in Texas. He was twelve years old and continued to battle sickle cell crises. In late 2023, after repeated hospitalizations, his doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital recommended a bone marrow transplant. To our amazement, his younger brother was found to be a 100% genetic match, a golden match. With God’s hand over every detail, insurance approved the procedure, and in September 2024, Nathan was admitted for his transplant.
As a single mother working full-time while caring for three children, the weight was overwhelming. Housing, meals, school, transportation, medical bills; every detail felt impossible. And yet, God provided. On our first day in the hospital, we met Jose, a social worker who introduced us to His Grace Foundation. That meeting changed everything.
His Grace Foundation stepped in with parking assistance, grocery vouchers, meals, and welcome baskets filled with toys, books, and LEGO’s that gave Nathan joy during long days of chemo. For the first time, our hospital room felt less like a sterile space and more like a home. When my other boys visited, they played together, laughed, and for a moment forgot we were in the middle of a medical battle.
The support extended beyond the hospital. While I juggled paying rent, moving houses, and keeping my job, His Grace Foundation helped feed my children and even supported my sister, who was caring for them. What may have seemed like small acts of kindness went farther than anyone could imagine; they kept us afloat.
Today, Nathan is thriving. His immune system is strong, his energy is back, and he is entering high school with dreams for the future. He cooks, laughs, and is growing taller by the day. Our family is closer than ever, bound by faith and the miracle of healing.
If I could speak directly to a donor, I would say this: You may never see the full impact of your gift, but know this: it goes beyond a basket, a meal, or a parking pass. It fills the impossible gap between survival and hope. It brings dignity to families who are barely holding on. And it teaches children like my son that even in the hardest moments, they are not forgotten.
We are forever grateful to His Grace Foundation and to every donor who makes this work possible. You became our family when we needed it most.
