Life With Ferris: Eliana's Different Kind Of Senior Trip

Eliana Tabibiazar planned a celebratory family trip after graduating GPS this past spring. There are lots of similar trips underway no doubt, all that include passports and transcontinental flights. But for Eliana’s family, parents Kelly and Ray, and siblings Addie and Liam, this upcoming trip will be truly lifechanging, and not necessarily for the Tabibiazar family.

Cardiologists, Kelly Richardson and Ray and their children are heading to Arusha, Tanzania, to volunteer in an orphanage over the summer. They are not forcing their three teens to leave the tennis court, pool or friends, which is remarkable in itself. No, these three young adults are actually the ones spearheading this mission, especially Eliana, who was inspired by her aunt, Tina Ashmalla, who helped found Lohada, which helps care for the vast underserved population in Arusha.

"I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to be part of something bigger than myself," said Eliana. "My Aunt Tina has always been a role model for me, paving the way for my research. She’s the kind of person who acts from the heart and lives to serve others - someone I aspire to emulate in everything I do. She returns to Arusha often and reminds me that change starts with showing up, listening, and using what you have to make a difference."

Tina and her husband lost a child, Allessandra, just before her 20th birthday after she suffered a stroke; born with Down syndrome, Allessandra had battled brain cancer starting at age 3.

After her death, Tina started the Alessandra Brighten Your Day Fund, designed to foster random acts of kindness to people who least expect it.

It seemed only natural that Kelly and Ray’s kids immediately started their own nonprofit around this time, Bear and Doctor, named after Allesandra’s two favorite puppet toys. The three Tabibiazar children crocheted stuffed animals and made beaded bracelets to help raise money for the ABYD fund.

Along the way, they learned more about Lohada.org, a Christian organization that provides advocacy, healthcare provision and education to vulnerable populations. Last summer, just before her junior year, Eliana was looking for a project that had to do with public health and reached out to Tina about Lohada.

“Tina educated her about how witchcraft and cultural beliefs continue to hinder women and children from getting the proper medical care they need in Tanzania. It was an eye opener to me,” Kelly said. As Eliana worked on her project, the Tabibiazar family learned about it as well, and were all 100 percent on board by the time Aliana completed her project nine months ago. All five committed to going to Arusha to help any way they could.

But they wanted to do more than play games with the children and lead activities, although that is an important part of childhood.

“Being a cardiologist, I started to wonder how else we may be able to help the children. I knew that the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease was higher in Africa, but I wondered about this [particular] population. I also learned that there is no screening for strep throat and no antibiotics or treatments given at Lohada. I told my kids about it, and we started talking about how we might help. Together we decided we should embark on a research project looking at the prevalence of RHD at Lohada.

"We plan to not only look at the prevalence of RHD, but also look at screening practices for sore throats, look at getting rapid strep tests and penicillin available to Lohada. We also hope to incorporate AI, using it to help obtain our best echo images and also potentially using it to read the echos … showing that without a cardiologist, children in Africa can still get first world care,” Kelly said.

Every member of the family is raising money for this important endeavor. Farrah House, a GPS classmate of the girls, will join them on this mission.

From Eliana: “I’m not used to asking for money, except maybe from my parents, but I’m reaching out because we need funds to help change lives. Every dollar truly matters and will go into providing portable echocardiogram and cutting-edge AI software that can analyze heart images without needing a cardiologist on-site. This will allow us to provide faster, more accurate diagnoses and continue analyzing data even after we return, creating a sustainable impact that goes beyond just one visit. We truly appreciate all your help!”

From Addie: “With my travels with my family I have learned how privileged we are in the U.S. Health care is easily attainable and illnesses are quickly managed. I want to help screen for RHD in this orphanage population so that kids can get early treatment so they don’t develop symptoms. Your contribution will go to Lohada and help provide the support needed not only for the study but also for the Lohada organization.”

From Liam: “I am looking forward to giving back to the children in Tanzania however needed. I hope to spread joy and happiness to the kids at Lohada and help them to a prosperous life.”

The money raised is tax deductible and goes directly to Lohada, which then can be divided out for the research project and other needs. Go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-lohada-and-rhd-research-in-tanzania.

With just a click on the computer and a quick donation of any size, you can help change a life.

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Ferris Robinson is the author of three children’s books, “The Queen Who Banished Bugs,” “The Queen Who Accidentally Banished Birds,” and “Call Me Arthropod” in her pollinator series “If Bugs Are Banished.” “Making Arrangements” is her first novel and is available in paperback and on Kindle. “Dogs and Love - Stories of Fidelity” is a collection of true tales about man’s best friend. She is the editor of The Lookout Mountain Mirror and The Signal Mountain Mirror.