I am a Maryland native and lived in DC for over 15 years, where I met Mirna in 2010. She began to work for us at that point, and over time we became close with her.
Mirna came to this country legally from El Salvador in 2001, where she fought for an education and better way of life. Now in the United States, she continues to struggle to make a living as a single mother to her five-year-old daughter, Valentina, for whom she is the sole caretaker.
We have witnessed her going through the ups and downs of being a single mother, and all the hardships that comes with being an immigrant- financially and emotionally.
For a while now, she has suffered with chronic pain and inflammation in her upper teeth, due to lack of nutrition, prenatal services and dental services growing up.
She has been to two clinics, including Natural Dentist Associates, where I also go – who are some of the best in the area. It is agreed that all her top teeth need to be pulled out and she needs permanent dentures (she wears a small one now). Natural Dentists already took her mouth scan and prescribed her antibiotics to reduce the infection in her mouth, but now she needs to pay for it, which she cannot do on her own.
This is a crucial moment in her life – besides stopping the pain she is suffering from now, if she does not receive new teeth, it will be hard for her to work, earn money, and take care of her daughter. And she is embarrassed to smile! It breaks my heart.
I will be collecting the funds to pay for her dental expenses, and super appreciate anything people can give!
