DREAMer Needs Lifesaving Surgery

Veni Noya is a 25 year old Daca-mented American living in Longmont, CO.   He was born with Spina Bifida, a birth defect caused by the incomplete closing of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord.  Unable to find the proper care for his condition in Vera Cruz, Mexico, Veni at age 11 migrated with his family to the United States.  Today, Veni is 25 years old and continues his battle with his condition.  Despite the circumstances surrounding Veni’s life, which stretch beyond his physical challenges and include being undocumented, facing the possibility of being separated from his family on a daily basis, and not having access to proper medical care, he has never given up hope and has never lost his willingness to fight.  Veni is someone who understands that the struggle of immigrants is one faced by many and because of this he has unselfishly devoted his time and efforts toward working to fix our broken immigration system.  

In 2009 Veni got involved with the immigrant rights movement through a student youth group known as N.C.D.U. (Northern Colorado Dreamers United) and through this group he has made valuable contributions toward the movement helping to pass Colorado’s ASSET Bill, which grants undocumented students the right to pay in state tuition for higher education, rescinding Colorado’s show me your papers law, and advocating for Dreamers everywhere.  Veni’s activism throughout the last 8yrs has allowed him to develop as a leader, which has carried over into his personal and professional life. Thanks to President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Veni now enjoys working at the YMCA of Longmont in the child care and fitness programs.  Unfortunately, after DACA was rescinded by the current administration Veni, and many others like him, face the same circumstances they faced before.  For Veni, this includes another major setback associated with his Spina Bifida.  

Today, he faces the need for a major surgery as infection has spread to his bones and will result in the amputation of his left legs.  This infection threatens his life the longer we wait to get him the surgery he needs. Without medicare or the ability to obtain medical insurance, Veni and his family face the daunting financial burden of funding his surgery themselves.  At an estimated price of roughly $100,000 dollars this necessary emergency surgery seems almost impossible.  However Veni continues to move forward with his life with optimism and strength most can only imagine.  And despite his individual needs, Veni continues to fight to pass a clean DREAM ACT in hopes of being able to continue his commitment to his community, his friends, and of course his family.  Venanicio “Veni” Noya, has committed his life to helping those in need, today he is the one with a need and today we make it our commitment to help him.