Dr. Faviola is Humanity and Hope’s health care manager and has been an integral part of the team for over a year now. She is now entering a new chapter in her life and will be moving to Barcelona, Spain, to pursue a master’s degree in international health and tropical medicine. Her last day with Humanity and Hope will be August 30th.
Join us in thanking and celebrating Dr. Faviola for her time with H&H. We will miss her dearly, but we are SO excited to see her grow and impact more people in the future. Read the Q&A below to learn a little more about our rockstar health care manager, Dr. Faviola.
What were you doing before you joined H&H?
Before joining the team at Humanity and Hope, I was working for over a year at various private clinics in Honduras. I also used to be an emergency doctor and a surgery assistant.
“If I could give any advice, it would be that you should keep trying, even if the circumstances are tough and everyone is telling you that it is not possible.”
Why did you decide to get involved?
At the time, I was pregnant with my son. When he was born, he was diagnosed with a heart condition and had to have a pretty serious surgery. The operation was successful, but it made me realize how short life can be and how precious each moment is. I heard about the great work Humanity & Hope was doing, and the timing could not have been better. I knew I wanted to do something more meaningful with my life than just earning money. I thought to myself, if God made me pass through all of those challenges and heartbreaks, there had to be a greater purpose. I think being a doctor is my chance to have a positive and lasting impact on those around me.
What’s one thing that has surprised you the most during your time with H&H?
I think the biggest surprise to me was the conditions people were living in. I couldn’t believe that only a few minutes away from the city, people didn’t have basic services like clean water and functioning bathrooms. In the past, I thought those conditions were only present in the really isolated mountainous areas. Honduras is my country, so it was really eye-opening to see this happening so close to home. The people Humanity and Hope work with are extremely bright and resilient. They have so much potential, but just need the opportunity to succeed.
“I think being a doctor is my chance to have a positive and lasting impact on those around me.”
How has working with H&H changed your life?
I think working with Humanity and Hope has made me a better person overall. Sometimes, when you are a doctor, you are trained to be distant and cold because that is the way some people deal with tough situations. Often, we lose our sense of empathy and become apathetic. Now, I know how far people were walking just to receive medical attention and it is impossible not to be compassionate. Now, when I see that some other doctor refuses to receive a patient, I have many reasons to explain why the patient should be treated. It’s also wonderful when the people in our communities ask me for help because they love me and trust in me, or when they tell me how much better they feel after getting medical care.
What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
I think they would be surprised to learn how persistent I am. If I could give any advice, it would be that you should keep trying, even if the circumstances are tough and everyone is telling you that it is not possible.