Mandy George, a well-traveled aid worker, was based in Haiti for more than two years helping with earthquake relief. After a relaxing Sunday off, she developed a persistent headache. By Wednesday, she was in intensive care. Come Friday, she was in an induced coma—a coma she almost never woke up from.

All because of a mosquito bite.

Her strain of malaria was the most dangerous, and the Haitian clinic she was in was not well equipped to treat her. Mandy, however, was fortunate enough to have health insurance to medivac her to the other side of the island—to the Dominican Republic—to receive care, a luxury that many do not have. Once there, jaundice and pneumonia set in, and all her major organs began to fail. Her body went into septic shock, and the doctors weren’t sure she would survive. Finally, almost six weeks later, Mandy was well enough to leave the Santo Domingo ICU. 

After what was considered a miraculous recovery, Mandy will never forget her harrowing experience with malaria.