Meet the Doctors That Saved My Mom’s Life











By- Abel Asrat



Last week, something extraordinary happened in our family—an event that brought healing, closure, and hope after years of silent anguish. My mother, who had waited nearly five years for life-saving heart treatment, finally received her long-overdue coronary angiogram and angioplasty. Behind this medical miracle stands a team of brilliant doctors and selfless volunteers, whose dedication transformed a personal tragedy into a powerful story of resilience and renewal.

A Family’s Long Wait for Healing

My mother’s heart problems weren’t new. We’ve lived with the looming fear of losing her for years. Every phone call from her felt like a 911 alert in my mind. That fear was rooted in a deeper wound—my father, who suffered from the same heart condition, never received the chance to get treated. He passed away, leaving us devastated and haunted by “what-ifs.”

So when my mom was finally called by The Children’s Heart Fund of Ethiopia – Cardiac Center Ethiopia, it marked a turning point. She had been on a waiting list for years—five long years—for this procedure. She got the call, and soon after, she underwent her long-awaited coronary angiogram and angioplasty. The procedure was successful. Today, she is in full recovery, and for the first time in years, our family can breathe freely.

The Heroes Behind the Scenes

This transformation didn’t happen in a vacuum. It was the result of extraordinary people working with a vision bigger than any one patient. Leading the charge was Dr. Tesfaye Telila, a highly respected interventional cardiologist based in the United States, and Dr. Obsinet Merid, whose deep commitment to cardiovascular health in Ethiopia has impacted countless lives.

Dr. Tesfaye Telila and his team recently completed 165 life-saving cardiovascular procedures in Ethiopia—procedures that would have otherwise cost patients upwards of $15,000 to $20,000 in a U.S. healthcare setting. These interventions not only changed the medical outcomes of hundreds of families but also offered dignity, access, and renewed hope to those long denied it.

What struck me the most about Dr. Telila’s mission, beyond the technical brilliance, was the genuine spirit of partnership and sustainable impact. His team’s work was done in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health Ethiopia, under the leadership of Dr. Mekdes Daba, the Minister of Health, and her senior officials. This wasn’t just a temporary medical campaign—it was part of a broader vision to strengthen Ethiopia’s cardiovascular care system through collaboration with local institutions and experts.

A Sacred Partnership: The Heart Attack Ethiopia Initiative

Equally important was the role of HEART ATTACK Ethiopia, an initiative co-founded by Dr. Telila, which focuses on bringing cardiovascular care to underserved populations. Their goal is not just to intervene during crises but to build a system—a sustainable infrastructure where local medical professionals are trained, empowered, and supported to deliver ongoing cardiac care.

The mission culminated in a celebration at the Ministry of Health, where Dr. Telila and his team were welcomed with traditional Ethiopian coffee, heartfelt words from the Minister, and a shared sense of purpose. That spirit of collaboration and mutual respect is what will make this mission last beyond any single procedure.

More Than a Heartbeat: A New Purpose

For my mother, this wasn’t just a medical procedure—it was a new lease on life. For me, it was a call to action.

I’m forever indebted to these doctors, not only for saving my mother’s life but for reminding me that collective action, compassion, and knowledge can change the course of a family’s future. I’ve made it my mission to mobilize resources, raise awareness about this incredible center, and support the heroes who are building a more just and accessible healthcare system in Ethiopia.

I’ll be sharing my plans soon, and I hope many of you reading this will join me. Together, we can ensure that more mothers and fathers live to see their grandchildren, that no family loses a loved one just because of geography or lack of means.

To Dr. Tesfaye Telila, Dr. Obsinet Merid, the volunteers from the U.S., the team at the Cardiac Center Ethiopia, and the Ministry of Health—thank you. You didn’t just save a life. You saved a family.

❤️🇪🇹🇺🇸

If you’d like to learn more about how you can support the Cardiac Center or HEART ATTACK Ethiopia, feel free to reach out. Let’s build a world where no one dies waiting for a chance at life.