Annabella is a recipient of the Malro Fighters Scholarship Grant. We’re honored to share her story and celebrate the resilience, determination, and hope she brings to our community, because she is the embodiment of what it means to be a Malro Fighter.
From a young age, she experienced severe stomach pain, digestive issues, and ongoing bowel complications. Despite years of symptoms, her condition went undiagnosed, and the pain she experienced was often overlooked or attributed to other causes.
Everything changed when a doctor finally discovered the source of her struggles: intestinal malrotation with reversal of the SMA and SMV. After undergoing a Ladd procedure in eighth grade, many of her symptoms became more manageable, but the challenges of living with malrotation continue every day.
Throughout years of uncertainty, Annabella relied on resilience, faith, and the unwavering support of her mother, who never stopped searching for answers. Eventually, a children’s hospital identified the life-threatening condition she had unknowingly lived with since birth.
In 2019, she underwent a complex robotic surgical procedure. During her recovery, the compassion and dedication of her healthcare team left a lasting impression. The surgeons, nurses, and medical professionals who cared for her not only helped her heal physically but also inspired her future goals.
While she continues to face pain, bowel difficulties, and the ongoing fear of obstruction or volvulus, Annabella refuses to let her diagnosis define her. Instead, she has used every obstacle as motivation to work harder and move forward.
Her experiences have inspired a passion for helping others facing medical challenges. She plans to use her education to support individuals navigating both physical and emotional hardships, just as she has.
“Instead of allowing these things to define who I am, I have used them to work harder.”
We are proud to have Annabella as part of the Malro Fighters family and can’t wait to see all she accomplishes in the years ahead.