Defeat Dengue

I am a fifteen year old, normal American kid. In the summer of 2013, I was lucky enough to go to Thailand and do community service work there. It was a wonderful and fulfilling experience! When I got back to the US, however, I realized that I got more of the Thai experience than I had bargained for. I started to shake uncontrollably, was fighting a fever of 104*f and had skull-splitting headache. I had Dengue Fever.

In Thailand I had (unknowingly) been bitten by a mosquito carrying the most deadly strain of of Dengue: Dengue Shock Syndrome. I experienced multiple organ failure and dangerously low blood pressure. My body was shutting down. Without immediate medical attention, I honestly could have died. It turns out that I am a very lucky kid. This whole experience has raised my appreciation of medicine. It also made me think about all the people in the world, who die from Dengue Fever because they cannot get medical attention.

I am now trying to raise funds to defeat Dengue! Presently there is a vaccination in its trial phase, but more needs to be done. I want to help to find the solution to one of the largest health problems in developing tropical countries.

By buying at "Defeat Dengue" t-shirt, you too can be part of the solution! I will donate ALL the proceeds of my t-shirt sales will go to supporting the Sabin Vaccine Institute