Christerline Raphaël is a bright 16-year-old girl from Les Cayes, Haiti. Since 2015, she has battled epilepsy, a condition that causes frequent, unpredictable seizures and kept her from attending school or enjoying daily life like other children her age.
For years, Christerline was treated with Carbamazepine, but her seizures only worsened. Eventually, her pediatrician referred her to a neurologist, who prescribed Levetiracetam 500 mg, a more advanced treatment often used when other medications fail.
But there was a problem: in Les Cayes, the medication was nowhere to be found. Even if it had been available, its high cost would have made it impossible for her family to afford.
That all changed in February 2025, when a staff member from Foyer St. Etienne encouraged Christerline’s family to visit Hope for Haiti’s clinic, Infirmary St. Etienne. Thanks to the generous support of Direct Relief through our Gift-in-Kind (GIK) program, the clinic had Levetiracetam in stock. Christerline was able to start treatment right away, free of charge.
Since beginning her new treatment, Christerline has not experienced a single seizure. Today, she attends school regularly and is finally able to enjoy life as a teenager, filled with hope for her future.
Her mother shared, “If it weren’t for this clinic and this medicine, I don’t know what I would have done.”
Christerline’s story is just one of many that shows how vital access to donated medicine is for families in Haiti. Through our GIK program, and with partners like Direct Relief, we are able to provide rare, expensive, and life-saving medications that would otherwise be out of reach.
You can help make stories like Christerline’s possible. Support Hope for Haiti’s Gift-in-Kind program today and ensure more children and families receive the essential care they need. Donate Now.
