VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Instead of a big party and presents to celebrate Iruka Ndubuizu’s upcoming 50th birthday, she wants to give a life changing gift to others.
Iruka is from Nigeria, but has lived in Virginia Beach for more than 20 years. She travels back to her home country regularly to see family and friends.
The lack of funds and available medical care forces many Nigerians to choose between their health and basic necessities, like food. On a recent visit, she toured a teaching hospital in desperate need of supplies and equipment.
Iruka wants to help them and has begun a fundraising campaign for her birthday to do it. It’s called 50k by 50. She is working with a nonprofit organization called MedShare. They recover surplus medical supplies and equipment from U.S. hospitals and distributes them to hospitals in needy and developing countries.
Iruka’s 50th birthday is January 11, 2019 and she is hoping to have $50,000 raised by then. If you would like to learn more or donate, visit her GoFundMe page or https://impact.medshare.org/50kby50
