Episode 03
One Haitian Woman Changed Her Life Forever
Overview:
Meet Jo Ann Heppermann! She is the Chair of the International Service Committee of the Prospect/Goshen Rotary Club in Kentucky. During this conversation, Jo Ann gives us a glimpse of how her life changed after one trip to Haiti with capracare and her experience with meeting a Haitian woman. This is her “Rotary Moment.” After this trip, she became dedicated to serving the women of Haiti who suffer from cervical cancer. Did you know that cervical cancer is Haiti’s leading cause of death in women? In partnership with capracare, Jo Ann’s passion shines through brightly in this discussion of what true service looks like and how you can get involved as well. We appreciate her greatly.
Episode Highlights:
-
How Jo Ann went from law to philanthropy and service (this story is a fun one!) (2:18)
-
What Jo Ann’s rotary club does for the local community in Kentucky (9:58)
-
What sparked her interest in international philanthropy (13:19)
-
Jo Ann’s first time in Haiti with capracare (16:44)
-
Why serving women with cervical cancer is so important to Jo Ann (29:01)
-
What did Jo Ann’s trip to Haiti do for the future of women in Haiti (31:22)
-
Courage is… (36:36)
-
Jo Ann’s Act(s) of Courage (37:26)
-
How to get in contact with Jo Ann and her Rotary club (42:03)
Quote Summarizing episode
“Put in place a project… because if you do, you just may have a rotary moment… and it’ll change your life” - Jo Ann
Courageous Quotes:
“You have to lay the groundwork, you need to get the education, you need to do what you need to do in order to take advantage of the opportunities and the good luck that comes your way” - Jo Ann
“It was clear to me that I was supposed to be a full time do-gooder”
- Jo Ann
“I now know that God drives my bus and it’s my job to just get on”
- Jo Ann
“Never in any part of my lifetime did I think that I would have a chance to be involved in a project where we actually save lives”
- Jo Ann
“We can, with capracare, solve a problem in Haiti that not many people are working to solve” - Jo Ann
“Nobody needs to die from cervical cancer. It’s the leading cause of death there (Haiti)” - Jo Ann
“Courage is…just don’t give up… don’t lose hope.” - Jo Ann
Interesting Facts:
Cervical cancer strikes hardest in impoverished regions and countries. Although there are no definitive statistics because Haiti lacks a cancer registry, global health officials estimate that the disease strikes Haitian women at the world's highest rate — 93 per 100,000. That's more than 12 times the U.S. rate.
Where to Donate & Learn more
Learn More About The Prospect/Goshen Rotary Club
