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Sara getting stronger

October 30, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment 

Sara continues to heal and gain back her strength following her heart surgery on October 15th and then an infection. Her father remains vigilant by her side, coaching her to eat more and take the right precautions in her recovery. On Monday they removed her IV medication and the doctors made plans to release her from the hospital on Tuesday. On Thursday she returned to the hospital just for an echocardiogram and checkup. Her heart looks great and they are reducing her medication as she is so improved. Sara, normally a more quiet and reserved girl, has been brought out of her shell during her recovery by games of UNO with fellow patients and volunteers. It’s amazing to see how these children are really transformed by this whole experience and given a new chance to be fully who they were made to be.

On a bit of a sad note, I wanted to follow up with you all about Hevi. Last Friday Hevi and her family decided finally to not go through with the heart surgery which would have put Hevi’s life so much as risk. Following 4 months of waiting and testing and consultations, this has been a very hard experience for that family. On Sunday Hevi and her mother began their journey to return to Iraq. Having made the decision to not have the surgery, Hevi and her mother actually seemed relieved and ready to return home. Hevi has learned better how to live with her weakened heart and how that will affect her future. We hope all the best for Hevi and her family and are glad to have been part of her

life in this time.

         

Shanaw and Kale heading home!

October 30, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment 

         

Skate Across Florida meets Dalton/Addington

October 28, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment 

Over the summer we told you about some cool guys in Florida who decided to Skate Across Florida for the Preemptive Love Coalition to raise funds for Iraqi children waiting in line for heart surgery.

At the end of the summer we told you about Matt Addington and Michael Dalton - two documentarians who were using their skills to travel to Iraq to help give the world a glimpse of PLC’s work and thousands of kids waiting for life-saving health care.

Recently the two groups met up. The following video and photos resulted. Enjoy!

Are you volunteering in a way that is raising a voice for Iraqi children or raising money for their surgeries? Let us know here!

Marco Island Incident from Michael Dalton on Vimeo.

         

Kurdish Student Organization Raises $ for PLC

October 26, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment 

The Kurdish Student Organization at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA has been out and about raising funds for Kurdish and Arab children in need of heart surgeries outside Iraq.

From cookie bakes to candy sales - and an upcoming night of live comedy and music performances - the KSO is epitomizing all the ways we at PLC long to see normal people own this vision and share responsibility for the well-being of these kids.

Are you out doing something to promote PLC or raise money for Iraqi kids? Let us know here!

         

A Taste of Love to Come

October 24, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment 

Our Friends over at Rosa Loves are in the final stages of work with designer Tim Belonax on a shirt whose profits will go to fund a urgent heart surgery for a child named Hussein we’re working with right now.

We’re not sure if we’re supposed to do this, but we received some typographic mock ups of their brainstorming sessions and we’re giddy to see the final results. We thought we’d whet your appetite for some love to come…

 

         

Updates on the 4 girls

October 22, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment 

The 4 girls who have been going through this journey together- Kale, Shanaw, Sara and Hevi- all have updates!

Kale has been successfully recovering from her heart surgery that took place on October 7th. Today she had an echocardiogram to check up on some fluid that had gathered around her heart. They found that the fluid was decreasing however and there is no cause for alarm. She is showing such good progress that they think next week will be her final echocardiogram and that soon she can be released to return to Iraq.

Shanaw has been up and around and showing off her amazing smile ever since her surgery on September 28th. She’s shown nothing but improvement and energy and life! She’ll also have her last echocardiogram next week and soon be on her to be reunited with the rest of her family and friends in Iraq.

Sara underwent her surgery on October 15th and has been recovering with her gentle, loving father by her side. On the 19th she was moved out of the ICU and has since been up walking and beginning to eat more and gaining strength. Sara is recovering well from her surgery but remains in the hospital today recovering from an unrelated infection with the help of antibiotics. The doctors report that she is healing normally and is on her way to a full recovery soon.

Hevi has had the longest wait of all 4 girls. Hevi and her mother arrived at the treatment center on July 21st and have been patiently waiting ever since for the doctors to make their final decision about Hevi’s surgery. Due to the uniqueness of her heart problems the surgeons had to determine if surgery was the best treatment and if it would really be the solution. On October 15th the surgeons finally gave Hevi and her mother the news that surgery was an option but, that unfortunately, it would be very risky. The decision was left up to Hevi’s parents to decide what to do and they decided today not to do it. The risks and unknowns are huge either way. They still have until Sunday to decide finally if they want Hevi to have the surgery or not. This family has had a very long road of waiting and worry. We’re thankful to be part of Hevi’s treatment and to support her and her family in this time.

         

Baylor University Students Rally for Iraqi Kids

October 22, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment 

A group of Baylor University students have started an initiative to raise awareness for 3,000 Arab and Kurdish children waiting in line for life-saving heart surgery outside the country.

By attempting to sell a couple hundred tshirts on campus and by using a display of PLC pinwheels in the park they hope to raise the necessary funds for these children while educating their classmates about the social injustices faced by Iraqi families in the wake of Saddam’s regime and the current conflict.

The traction at Baylor University comes on the heels of two summer interns returning to their campus and sharing their excitement and concern for the things they saw in Iraq this summer. 

Want to intern with PLC in Iraq or the US this summer? Send us an email here. 

Are you up to something special at your university or high school or place of work? Let us know about it here.

 

         

Shanaw smiling after surgery

October 2, 2008 by carrie · Leave a Comment 

Our partner organization writes about Shanaw’s successful heart surgery:
“This morning (Sept 30th) we arrived at the hospital around 11 a.m. to find Shanaw awake, extubated, and already able to drink small cups of water and slurp soup with little assistance. She said she hated soup and joked that she wanted hummus. Though she’s not able to move around too much yet, the irrepressible smile was once again on display, albeit painted around the edges with the occasional wince of pain.

Her post-op examination results and vital statistics all look very good and her blood oxygen level hovered around 97 to 99% which is great. She suppressed laughter with us several times - because it hurt - and spoke intermittently and with evident effort. She insisted that she wasn’t tired and didn’t want to sleep. From her reclined position on her bed in the ICU, she had a good view and took an avid interest in the flurry of activity all around her, which included an African child named Mercy, a 23 day-old baby awaiting surgery, and Ali, also from Iraq.

The atmosphere in the ICU was serious as always, but among our staff, Shanaw’s aunt, and Ali’s father, the mood was a bit lighter and there were smiles all around. Last night things were very uncertain as Shanaw had come out of surgery only to be sent back to the O.R. three hours later and have her chest reopened because of what turned out to be a loose suture. With morning, however, Shanaw’s prognosis was looking very good. While Shanaw’s aunt prayed outside (since it is the day before the end of Ramadan), we sat in the ICU and were thankful for her progress so far. Having one’s sternum sawed open and major arteries moved around is no small matter, and there is still a great deal of recovery ahead for Shanaw, presuming there are no further setbacks. We’re all hoping that she will continue on the path that she is on so that many others can have the blessing of knowing this little fountain of joy.”

         

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• RECENT POSTS

  • Media Coverage of PLC by Former CNN Anchor & Oprah Radio Host, Daryn Kagan
  • Introducing the Shad Faraydoon Memorial Fund: $50k to Fund 10 Infant Surgeries
  • Ranu Giving Others Rides on Her Bike After Her Successful February Surgery
  • Bruska Ready for School in the Fall After Successful Heart Surgery Last January
  • Roshna Surprises All by Passing Her Classes In Spite of Many Absences Prior to Surgery

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