Nadia’s Howse of Hope supplies children of all ages with various educational devices while in the
hospital for an extended period of time.
Nadia’s Story
At the age of three, I had a fever that would not go away. In spite of the constant usage of over
the counter medicine, the very high fever persisted a total of 10 days. After several calls and visits to
the doctor, he finally concluded that I had Kawasaki’s Disease. A disease that is more common
among boys and Asians before the age five. Somehow this disease found me even though I’m an
African-American girl!
The cause is unknown, but if the symptoms are recognized early, kids with Kawasaki disease can fully
recover. Treatment for Kawasaki disease starts in the hospital. It may include: Immunoglobulin (IVIG)
medicine. This is given through a vein (intravenous, or IV). Early treatment is important because it
shortens the illness and lowers the chances of heart problems. Some children will have damage to
the coronary arteries. A child who has damaged coronary arteries may be more likely to have a heart
attack as a young adult.
All while I was in the hospital, my mom made sure that I had books, computer gadgets and other tools
that helped supplement my pre-school education. Since I could already read by the age of three, my
parents wanted to make sure I didn’t lose this skill. Often times children who are in the hospital for
extended periods of time, run the risk of falling behind in their education. I formed this organization
because I want to prevent this from happening as much as possible. I am currently in college
and plan to one day become a medical doctor. Although I can’t serve patients in that capacity
right now, I can aid and assist them by purchasing educational instruments in order to help
preserve/improve their knowledge base.
For more about Nadia, please visit nadiahowse.com