• LEARN MORE
  • Our Mission
  • Our Core Values
  • Our Methods
  • Our Kids
  • Our Network
  • Congenital Heart Disease in Iraq
  • Leadership & Financial Info
• BUY SHOES. SAVE LIVES.
  • Klash
  • Kids Klash
  • Fair Trade
  • TShirts
• GET INVOLVED
  • Summer Internship
  • 2010 Fifty Families Focus
  • Download & Share
  • Buy Stuff to Save Lives
• DONATE
• BLOG

Fighting for Families

December 8, 2009 by Cayla Willingham 

When a child is chosen for surgery, their family is adopted by a member of the PLC team. This person makes it their goal to do whatever is necessary to defend the family in this time of vulnerability. They are the family advocate.

The care offered to the family goes far beyond a healthy heart. When I visited the team in Iraq a month ago, I was able to see this care first hand on various home visits I made with PLC’s family advocates.

Here are some examples of what I saw:

• Honya went to Istanbul for surgery in November. Her advocate sat with her parents to explain what the process would be like and what to expect in the hospital.




• Heran needs a follow-up surgery but must gain weight before that’s possible. Her advocate has been visiting weekly, checking her weight and encouraging her closer to this goal.




• Taban has completely recovered from her surgery but lacks motivation in school. Her advocate met with the school board, persuaded them to let her enroll, and continues to support her education.




• Zana has also been doing well, but his mother was keeping him from school for fear he would turn up sick again. After some reassurance, she allowed him to begin his studies.




• Shwana has fully recovered and is doing great, but others in his family are still in need. His family advocate is in the process of acquiring a wheelchair for his disabled cousin and was able to give helpful exercises to his grandma who recently had a stroke.

  
  

PLC does so much more than just heart surgeries; they truly care for the Iraqi people and work to show them that they matter. I was astounded to see how much is invested in the lives of the children and their families and how big of a difference it really makes.

HELP PLC IN THEIR ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF IDREES BY GIVING TO HIS SURGERY IN HONOR OF A FRIEND BELOW:

	Idrees is slated for surgery in January 2010. PLC will be collecting money for his life-saving surgery throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. What a chance to make a profound difference in the life of a child and his family!
	GIVING IN HONOR OF ANOTHER In honor of a friend or family member, donate the amount of your choice to fund a January surgery for Idrees by entering it in the field below. PLC will send you a Christmas card about Idrees along with a Preemptive Love Coalition “Hope for the Holidays” magnet as a physical expression of your gift on behalf of another. Donation:

Cayla Willingham came to Iraq in October 2009 as a supporter and friend of the Preemptive Love Coalition because she wanted to see first hand what the work was all about. When not vacationing in lovely countries like Iraq, Cayla and her husband, Matt, live in Thailand where they live under the patronage of the Royal Princess.... and yes, it really is as cool as it sounds!

Comments & Sharing Via Facebook