Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — A GoFundMe fundraising campaign is being conducted to help raise awareness and support for one of American Samoa’s dedicated nurses, Van Lorenzo, RN, according to one of the organizers of the campaign, Debbie Afalava, a local License Practical Nurse and colleague of Lorenzo.

Afalava in her email to Samoa News asking for help with the campaign, says that  Lorenzo has served the people of American Samoa as a Registered Nurse at LBJ Tropical Medical Center since August 2016. 

She continues that throughout his years of service, he has dedicated himself to saving lives, caring for patients, and supporting our community. He later took on the responsibility of Emergency Room Supervisor, earning the trust and respect of his patients, colleagues, and the families he has cared for. 

Afalava said, “For some context, some of our locals have trusted Van with their lives. At times, they would request his assistance, especially with pediatric or geriatric patients, for whom we usually have a hard time finding a vein for IV insertion.“

Lorenzo has unfortunately recently became seriously ill and is currently seeking medical treatment off-island. “As we all know, medical treatment and related expenses can place a tremendous financial burden on individuals and their families“ Afalava said.

As  a result, the organizers of the campaign have put together a GoFundMe campaign to help ease this burden, and are hoping to reach a wider audience, both locally and abroad.

Their goal is not only to raise funds but also to bring the community together to support someone who has spent so many years caring for others, Afalava concluded.

GoFundMe Link: https://gofund.me/f6539f4e7