Do animals have feelings? Sheri met the eyes of three chimpanzees huddled in a cage in the hotel in Cameroon, and felt an instant connection. Fueled by deep empathy and a fierce sense of injustice about the fate of these kindred souls, Speede forever changed the course of her life when she dedicated herself to saving these and other captive chimps in Cameroon.

Navigating geographic, logistic and medical hardships in a cultural landscape completely foreign to her, Speede persevered, eventually building a sanctuary in the forest and taking the chimpanzees back to their natural habitat. A photo of Dorothy, one of the chimps, at her funeral, in which Dr. Sheri Speede was cradling Dorothy's head while her family of chimpanzees looked on, went viral after being published in National Geographic. The image was subsequently covered in hundreds of media outlets on television, in newspapers, and on blogs, deeply touching people around the world while showing once and for all that animals do indeed have feelings.

She shares the joy and deep fulfillment that ultimately can come from following one's true passion...and inspires you to follow yours!

Learn more about Sheri Speede: www.ida-africa.org