1: What are you trying to accomplish?
2: What's your evidence that you can accomplish it?
3: How is it possible that you can provide an open heart surgery in Iraq for less than $1,000? Is that the full cost?
4: So is that the same thing as saying that my donation doesn't really make a difference? That the "up to 85%" funded locally by those inside Iraq is all that is really necessary to make this work?
5: Any other costs?
6: What is the bottleneck to more surgeries: money or skilled labor?
7: I'm skeptical of non-profits and charities because they always seem to be asking for more money. How can I be sure that Preemptive Love Coalition has "room for more funding" and that I'm not paying into a huge savings account, "Rainy Day Fund", or something similar?
8: Do you have enough volunteer surgeons available for unfunded Remedy Missions? (i.e., are there trips that you could fund if you had more money, or is there a labor bottleneck?)
9: Many heart surgeries require follow-up treatment (including additional surgeries). Do you have a way of providing these to patients?
10: How do you assess whether surgeries are completed competently and appropriately?
11: What is the rate of complications during and following surgery?
12: How do you assess whether surgeons are performing additional surgeries that they would have not had the funding or motivation to perform otherwise?
13: How do you assess whether surgeons are charging their patients for the surgeries you fund?
14: Do you follow up with the surgeons you've trained to assess whether they are correctly applying their training?
15: What information is available on the activities - and competence - of the surgeons you've trained?
16: Where do surgeons work after completing training? Do they serve poor patients?
17: How much do you spend each year on "program" expenses and how much on "overhead?"


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 Q: What are you trying to accomplish?

A: Train Iraqi heart surgeons and nurses so they can eradicate the backlog of tens of thousands of Iraqi children waiting in line for lifesaving heart surgery. [Back to Top]

 Q: What's your evidence that you can accomplish it?

A: Each year we continue to increase Iraq's total number of pediatric cardiac surgeries with new surgeries in Iraqi centers that would not - indeed could not - have been accomplished otherwise. Ministry of Health (MOH) officials speculate 500 surgeries were accomplished in 2009 (of which we provided 23 - 4.6% - outside the country). The addition of our 82 surgeries in FY 2010 - to the 500 baseline - for a total of 582 approximated surgeries, represents an increase created by PLC of 14% over 2009. In FY 2011 we anticipate increasing Iraq's total number of pediatric cardiac surgeries to at least 719 (or another 19% over FY 2010 directly attributable to our surgeons and our training).

Each year the local teams with which we work will become more proficient, and each year they will independently take on a larger case load than they could have the year before. None of these figures yet account for that additional output.

In March 2010 the Iraqi Ministry of Health asked us to expand our work to three additional sites. In May 2010 we began additional discussions about establishing a fellowship program in which international surgeons and nurses would take up residence in the Iraqi system to train locally for 40 weeks out of the year.

Our model does not rely strictly on volunteers because the level of need in Iraq outstrips what we could reasonably supply through volunteer labor alone. Accordingly, we set our budgets so as to actually contract the international surgical and nursing staff we need to accomplish our mission.

Sure, this increases the cost-per-mission (and thereby, cost-per-child) over early "mission" models in which volunteerism was idealized and training was not necessarily prioritized. But our contract labor + volunteerism model is inarguably the only way to create a nationwide quarterly training program and fellowships inside Iraq with international experts across approximately 6-8 surgical sites. Moreover, our model does not face the same sluggishness of learning that other surgery organizations suffer because we do not have the same rates of turnover; we have incredible consistency across our programs and missions. [Back to Top]

 Q: How is it possible that you can provide an open heart surgery in Iraq for less than $1,000? Is that the full cost?

A: The "less than $1k" numbers we routinely publish represent the amount in "program costs" we spend from our international donor money. The figure does not necessarily account for every single management, overhead, or fundraising expense.

Our total expenditures for FY 2010 were $188,919. We performed 82 surgeries during the same period for a per child total of $2,304 (though this data is a bit moot moving into 2010-11 as we abandon our very expensive "surgery exports" program(s) in Turkey, etc. and focus henceforth on more cost-effective in-country surgeries alone).

When all of our Remedy Mission partners are taken into consideration - including the Iraqi Government, medical companies that donate medicines and supplies, and local organizations - the real Remedy Mission cost to all donors is in the range of $5,400 - $7,000. Put another way, up to 85% of the total cost of a single surgical/training mission is now subsidized by local, Iraqi constituent institutions. [Back to Top]

 Q: So is that the same thing as saying that my donation doesn't really make a difference? That the "up to 85%" funded locally by those inside Iraq is all that is really necessary to make this work?

A: There is not a single site across Iraq for which our Remedy Missions are fully funded. If we fail to provide our 15-19% of the overall budget, Remedy Missions fail, surgeons and nurses do not get trained regularly, on-site audits from our international team do not happen, up to 20 children are delayed from receiving surgery, and a few may even die or become inoperable. Your role in funding the remaining 15-19% is as critical in the short term as any other entity. A single Remedy Mission is binary - it either happens or it doesn't. Your money makes it happen. But our goal is to continue to graduate all our programs so they are 100% funded locally in the next 5-10 years. [Back to Top]

 Q: Any other costs?

A: Our numbers per Remedy Mission do not account for "indirect costs," such as the cost (or value) of our volunteer medical staff from around the world, costs to local healthcare systems, the cost of a family to travel to the surgery site, the opportunity costs of lost income for families as they wait for surgery, etc. The reason we think it's important to note this here is because lifesaving is actually quite difficult. Building a pediatric cardiac surgery system for the entire country of Iraq is laborious and full of complexities. [Back to Top]

 Q: What is the bottleneck to more surgeries: money or skilled labor?

A: People often assume that the biggest need is more Iraqi heart surgeons. We could use a few more, but the real bottleneck is skilled nurses, technicians, and non-surgical physicians. A surgeon is only as good as his support staff. One of our biggest challenges is training pediatric cardiac intensive care nurses. To date, we haven't found a better model than our Remedy Missions through which we bring quarterly hands-on training to local nurses (and surgeons) in Iraq. Rather than exporting the nurses to Europe or the USA for training (whose medical systems barely resemble the Iraqi system), we train them with what they have on hand in their local environment. [Back to Top]

 Q: I'm skeptical of non-profits and charities because they always seem to be asking for more money. How can I be sure that Preemptive Love Coalition has "room for more funding" and that I'm not paying into a huge savings account, "Rainy Day Fund", or something similar?

A: For the record, we are skeptical of non-profits as well! In 2012 PLC needs $350,000 on hand at any given time to cover our cash flow needs for up to three Remedy Missions per quarter. We are still 30% under-funded against that goal. In addition to cash flow needs, we still require 15-19% funding on most of our missions after local sources contribute their portion; we have un-funded pilot programs in new cities where local doctors have been requesting our help (but where weve yet to woo local philanthropists or health directors); and we have research and social service initiatives through our Followthrough program that require funding at present because we have not yet sought local funding for those initiatives (seeing as how they relate mostly to our Monitoring & Impact Evaluation objectives). Please see our "Funding Gap" page to look deeper into our anticipated program costs, the sources of funding we are counting on, and the funding gap between the two for the next few years. [Back to Top]

 Q: Do you have enough volunteer surgeons available for unfunded Remedy Missions? (i.e., are there trips that you could fund if you had more money, or is there a labor bottleneck?)

A: Great question! We use a hybrid volunteer/staff model. Roughly 25-30% of any one of our Remedy Mission teams is employed by the International Children's Heart Foundation (typically the surgeon, scrub nurse, anesthesiologist, ICU doctor, and often a part-time ICU nurse). The remainder of the team typically comprises volunteer physicians, technicians, and nurses from across the world. Because the hardest-to-come-by positions are contract labor for us and NOT volunteers, we have never failed to run a mission for lack of personnel. We have only cancelled or turned down a request for a future mission due to lack of funding. [Back to Top]

 Q: Many heart surgeries require follow-up treatment (including additional surgeries). Do you have a way of providing these to patients?

A: Yes, we do. Our model dictates quarterly visits to each program site (a hospital inside a regional hub). Our reliance on local cardiologists ensures that the local team prioritizes and almost entirely sets the agenda for patient selection (within a development curricula) - after all, Iraqi doctors are the ones who are most intimately connected to the patients and their daily progress! When a local cardiologist sees a child who has either (1) deteriorated and requires another intervention or (2) advanced as expected to the next step of a complex, staged intervention, the child is prioritized for follow-up treatment. [Back to Top]

 Q: How do you assess whether surgeries are completed competently and appropriately?

A: Because we are a broker and play a combination administrative and financier role in the coalition of partners working in Iraq to develop pediatric cardiac care, we are able to stand in-between the local surgical team and the international surgical team (whom we contract as a third-party to train and perform surgeries in Iraq). If the local team or health directorate suspects a lack of competence in the international team, a cavalier attitude, or a single poor judgement call, our role is to be the go-between - to be the advocate for the local healthcare providers vis-a-vis the international surgical team.

Similarly, if the international surgical team feels pushed by the local surgical team to perform procedures with which they are uncomfortable or for which they think the local system is ill-prepared, they are able to refuse children for surgery and/or use us (PLC) as a go-between.

The checks-and-balance between the two teams helps us ensure surgeries are performed in a competent, appropriate manner. [Back to Top]

 Q: What is the rate of complications during and following surgery?

A: We report our in-hospital and 60-day mortality after each Remedy Mission. You can finds those numbers here. We also produce reports after each Remedy Mission detailing the trip, including data on intraoperative complications, post-operative complications, and mortality. You can find those reports here. We are also deliberately raising the funds necessary to help us bring our various heart hospitals into compliance with the International Quality Improvement Collaborative for Congenital Heart Surgery in Developing Countries. If this kind of quality improvement and reporting initiative interests you, we are currently looking for financial partners for our Followthrough program. [Back to Top]

 Q: How do you assess whether surgeons are performing additional surgeries that they would have not had the funding or motivation to perform otherwise?

A: Pediatric heart surgery in Iraq is almost nonexistent without our work. There are two active programs for relatively simple surgeries (one in Erbil and one in Baghdad). Local surgeons claim that combined they perform no more than a few hundred pediatric surgeries a year. In every location where we work, pediatric heart surgery is effectively nonexistent. Therefore, every surgery performed at our program sites (both when we are present and when we are not) are "additional surgeries" that they would not have had the SKILL to perform without the FUNDING we employed to train them in their local environment. [Back to Top]

 Q: How do you assess whether surgeons are charging their patients for the surgeries you fund?

A: Because we work in public (government) hospitals - and because healthcare in Iraq is provided almost entirely free of charge - it is widely known that any cardiologist, surgeon, or administrator seeking compensation for services is acting outside of Iraqi law. [Back to Top]

 Q: Do you follow up with the surgeons you've trained to assess whether they are correctly applying their training?

A: We see them quarterly in their local environment and perform real-time audits of their skills, recollection of past training, application of new techniques, etc. Additionally, our international surgeon remains on call at any time via phone, Skype, or email for consultation. [Back to Top]

 Q: What information is available on the activities - and competence - of the surgeons you've trained?

A: Because our Remedy Mission training program only began in late 2010 - and pediatric heart surgery at our sites across Iraq is the same age - there is still relatively little independent practice to report, and therefore little data on the activities and competence of our surgeons and their teams. But as they begin performing more surgeries independently, we are trying to align each site/surgical team with the International Quality Improvement Collaborative for Congenital Heart Surgery in Developing Countries (a data collection and tracking initiative of Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard University). [Back to Top]

 Q: Where do surgeons work after completing training? Do they serve poor patients?

A: As of Q2 2011 there was only one private hospital in Iraq (to our knowledge) providing pediatric heart surgery (and those surgeries were on the lower end of the complexity scale). Our work does not necessarily mean to exclude private hospitals as they continue to come online and become viable options, but at present the government system has a better equipped foundation for training local surgical teams. As we look to fully graduate our local surgical teams in the next 5-10 years, we imagine that most of them will stay in the public sector for all of the stability, pensions, and benefits of loyalty provided to those who stick with it. But, undoubtedly, some will seek positions at private hospitals (assuming private hospitals are willing to invest in the requisite capital purchases necessary to establish a credible program). In the public sector, rich and poor are served alike. In the private sector, poorer patients would be at an obvious disadvantage. [Back to Top]

 Q: How much do you spend each year on "program" expenses and how much on "overhead?"

A: As a rule, we do not adhere to the model that claims that "overhead" is somehow bad and "program" is somehow good. There are very bad program expenses. There are overhead expenses that are excellent investments. We agree with Paul Brest, President of the Hewlett Foundation, when he said, "Achieving a low overhead ratio drives many charities to behaviors that make them less effective and means more, not less, wasted dollars." Therefore, we spend as much on overhead as we need to accomplish our mission. The mission itself is our North Star - not arbitrary (even harmful) standards about overhead-vs-program expenditures. For the record, however, you can find a current pie chart of our expenditures here (and if you're into that sort of thing, you'll probably be impressed!). [Back to Top]

Jeremy Courtney Founder, Executive Director Twitter: @Jeremy_Courtney

“I'd love to hear any critique or questions you might have!”

DROP A NOTE OR DONATION BY MAIL: Preemptive Love Coalition 1300 Darbyton Dr. Hewitt, TX 76643 GIVE BY PHONE: To make a gift over the phone, using your credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover), please call +1 (806) 853-9131 during normal business hours. IRAQ OFFICE: +964 770-355-6298 (local)

Chatting With A Local Hero—An Interview With Dr. Firas (Part II)

January 15, 2013 by matt · Leave a Comment 

Cardiac training programs live or die by the initiative of the local doctors.

Ultimately, this is their program—an investment in them. As soon as they lose their passion to learn, coordinate, and hack through the red tape, the program is in trouble.

Perhaps that is why our time in Fallujah has been so encouraging. Dr. Firas (pronounced fee-rahs) is the only pediatric cardiologist in the Anbar region—Iraq’s largest geographic region and home to a growing number of children with heart problems.

So, given his kindness and compassion for these children, we asked him if he would share a little about his life, his concerns, and his hopes for the future of Fallujah.

(Read part one of this interview here.)

PLC: If you don’t mind, would you share about your life and work during the war?

Dr. Firas: Yes, I was in Baghdad working as a general pediatrician—I have two PhDs that allow me to work in these fields, one in general pediatrics and one in pediatric cardiology. But my family was here in Fallujah at first. So I moved them to Syria and I lived here in Iraq alone to complete my studies and care for children.

PLC: Some might assume you wouldn’t want to work with Americans after the things you experienced—has that been difficult?

Dr. Firas: I believe there are political issues, and there are the American people. I know many of the Americans don’t support what happened here in Fallujah. I know politicians aren’t the same as all the people—there is a difference. Of course, I am not happy about everything that happened during the war. But I’ve seen your team twice now in Fallujah, and you are trying to help our people.

You all give a different view of Americans. Of course, many people have anger in their hearts, but I know that these great amounts of congenital defects are because of the war and the chemical weapons [sic]. About 50% of the congenital heart defects [in Iraq] are in Anbar, our region, and most of those are in Fallujah. It is widely thought by our people that these are because of the war.

PLC: That “different view of Americans” is something we care deeply about. It’s great that you see these missions as opportunities for peacemaking as well. Today was the final case of the mission. Would you tell us a little about that? I know you were excited.

Dr. Firas: Today, we helped a small child by closing a hole in her heart. It took us nearly an hour just to get inside—it was so difficult. But it was amazing how immediately her system pressures rose and everything improved. It was a very satisfying operation because the child was close to death and our fix helped her immediately.

PLC: Do you feel like you could do corrections like this by yourself yet?

Dr. Firas: For now, no. I don’t have surgical back-up to assist me if something goes wrong. But… I must do something. So I choose the most simple cases and prepare them for our surgical missions. Then we can do them during the missions.

As I said, I also don’t have any help—I’m alone—and I must have other doctors to help guide me as I make the correction. I am hoping to recruit more Iraqis to come train with me. In all of Iraq, though, we only have thirteen child heart doctors. They are very rare here. This year, we had 12 new people applied for adult cardiology, but only two applied for pediatric. Working with children is much more difficult and stressful.

PLC: God-willing, more doctors will come alongside you, and the backlog of children who need surgery will be a distant memory. Thank you for sharing with us.

Dr. Firas: Insha’allah, I really hope so. Thank you.

###

Dr. Firas’ dream of establishing a heart center in Fallujah is possible, and we intend to do whatever we can to help him fulfill it! If you would like to contribute to the training and life-saving that is happening here, please donate below:

$5 or $50—Give what you can to help Dr. Firas save lives!

Our Partners:

As Communication Director, Matt Willingham spends most of his time trying to get the word out on PLC's work in Iraq. On the side, he likes reading stories, devouring the great food his wife cooks up, and DSLR camera work. He's also mildly obsessed with Twitter: @mehtin.

How Newborn Babies in Dohuk Are Helping Us Shed Light On The Backlog

June 5, 2012 by Kendelyn · Leave a Comment 

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got in the car and drove five hours north to the Kurdish city of Dohuk.

I was told we would be screening children for congenital heart disease (CHD), but since I’m not in the field of medicine and am a newcomer to PLC, I wasn’t exactly sure what that would look like. All I knew was that this was going to be a first-time experience for me and that I was excited.

I walked into the experience with an open mind and an open heart, and I walked away with a new understanding of what it means to screen babies for CHD and why that has everything to do with understanding and fighting the backlog of children waiting in line for lifesaving heart surgery here in Iraq.

In the end, we spent the week screening newborns using two echo machines. Dr. Kirk (whom we’ve partnered with before) preformed an echo using a V-scan, a pocket-sized ultrasound device while Dr. Serdar—the local Kurdish cardiologist who we partnered with for the mission—used a full-size echo machine.

Each morning we walked into the hospital and screened the children who were born that day as well as the children who were born the previous night. More often than not, grandmothers would carry in children who were barely minutes old. Their vibrancy and freshness to life continually brightened the room.

Along with the spirited children, we saw timid mothers, brand new fathers, and bashful siblings—all of which were hoping to hear good news about their brand new family member. It was such a joy to be able to see the relief and joy on many of the families’ faces as they heard the words “healthy heart!”

In addition to performing two screenings per a child, we conducted interviews with parents and close relatives of the babies. The interviews make up a collection of data on the parents of the child, which will later be analyzed by Dr. Kirk as he searches to better understand the conditions that lead to CHD.

By the close of the week, Dr. Kirk and Dr. Serdar felt well on their way to being able to make a more solid assessment of the CHD situation in the Dohuk region of Iraqi Kurdistan – and a more solid assessment is exactly what we need if we’re going to eradicate the backlog.

I feel truly blessed to have been a part of this screening mission. Not only did I learn a ton, but I forged new friendships and had an amazing time.

Kendelyn Ouellette is a documentary-film junkie whose first serious exposure to photography occurred when she traveled to Greece as a 10-year-old armed with a film camera. Although in America she enjoys moose and reading the daily news, she returns for her second summer as PLC’s photography intern and looks forward to befriending new people and munching on her favorite Iraqi dessert, baklava.

We just got off the phone with Hussain’s dad!

April 5, 2012 by matt · Comments Off 

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You can help us answer that last question. We hope to give Hussain his operation at the end of this month, but we need your help bringing the doctors back. Visit Hussain’s page to give toward his surgery and to help give him a new heart!

P.S.—We’re half way toward reaching our financial goal for Hussain! Help us ensure surgery for him by donating below.

As Communication Director, Matt Willingham spends most of his time trying to get the word out on PLC's work in Iraq. On the side, he likes reading stories, devouring the great food his wife cooks up, and DSLR camera work. He's also mildly obsessed with Twitter: @mehtin.

An Interview With Artist Ben Hodson (And A Video Of His Work)

September 3, 2011 by matt · Comments Off 

Last month we introduced you to a piece by Ben Hodson, and some of you responded wanting to know more. So Ben shared this video with us documenting how he made the Amna Suraka photomontage.

(HINT: While you’re waiting for the video to load, check out the short interview with Ben below!)

PLC: Start with a little background. What influenced you toward becoming an artist?

Ben: I was born in Brighton, UK into a family with a painter for a mother and a creative entrepreneur for a father. They inspired me to creatively look for solutions to the world’s issues. I moved around a fair bit as a child and even lived in India for a couple of years. These experiences greatly influenced my outlook on life and how I appreciate and view other cultures.

PLC: So where did your interest in Iraq come from? Were you previously interested in Kurdistan before traveling there?

Ben: I have an interest in people–especially people who have a story to tell. The Kurdish and Iraqi stories are surely some of the most defining stories of the 20th and 21st centuries. I have always had an interest in travel and new cultures, and the Middle East has a very hospitable and family-oriented culture, which I like. I also love Kebabs!

PLC: What kind of response have you had to this Amna Suraka piece from Kurds and Brits? Did the exhibit get a good turnout?

Ben: Initially, Kurdish people didn’t respond well to anything with the word “Iraq” in it, but as soon as I spoke to them and explained the relevance and how this draws Brits and Europeans in, they were very positive. It’s a story that most of the West has not heard.

The response [at the exhibit] was very good, hundreds of visitors came to the show, we got numerous feedback comments, we had local and regional press coverage and the curator of the gallery said to me that it was the best show they had ever put on.

PLC: Lastly, would you tell us a little about your work in general and what visual peacemaking means to you?

Ben: I’m interested in ideas of storytelling, narrative, place and location. This is why I went to Iraq. I went looking to explore the story of the Iraq still unseen, to engage with the lives, questions and challenges the media has been ignoring. Though I wanted to tell their story, I soon realised that I could not do this as well as the Iraqi people themselves.

I am not a photojournalist, I do not hunt down the headlines or stop myself getting involved. I am interested in the people, their lives and their stories. I cannot expect people to be affected by what I show them without first allowing my own heart to be broken by what I experienced.

For me, visual peacemaking is about using our creativity to bring about positive change in the world. Specifically bringing peace through all visual means, not just photography.  I am an artist, the photography and filmmaking is only part of what I do. Visual Peacemaking could be done through actually showing art; maybe a documentary, an exhibition of art by a misunderstood community, a series of photographs or even a piece of sculpture or installation art.  This of course embraces the beauty and common humanity of other cultures, but it also may be in finding healing/understanding in our differences and past hurts.

You can check out more of Ben’s work on his personal website HERE. Thanks for reading!

As Communication Director, Matt Willingham spends most of his time trying to get the word out on PLC's work in Iraq. On the side, he likes reading stories, devouring the great food his wife cooks up, and DSLR camera work. He's also mildly obsessed with Twitter: @mehtin.

Featured Partner: Behar Godani

May 9, 2011 by matt · 1 Comment 

Behar Godani is the kind of person non-profits dream of having in their corner. In fact, if you search “ultimate supporter” in Wikipedia… well, you mostly get a bunch of gibberish, but you should see her photo.

She started spearheading support for PLC way back in the day; fund-raisers, spreadin’ the word, Facebook “likes”, bake sales—she’s done it all! And that’s great for an overseas staff like ours because we don’t spend much time Stateside. She’s a lifeline across the Atlantic, and today (which also happens to be her birthday!) she agreed to an interview:

PLC: Let’s start by hearing a little about you. Tell us about yourself.
Behar: My name is Behar, and I’m now a 25 year-old student program analyst for the US Department of State. I recently graduated with my MA in Political Science and my Graduate Certificate in Bio-defense for Critical Analysis and Strategic Responses to Terrorism. I’m interested in anything and everything relating to politics in the Middle East, although, being Kurdish, I’ve always had a bias for the politics surrounding Iraqi Kurdistan.

Over the past year I’ve been a co-partner in two projects that resulted in the production of a documentary and short film on the Kurdish Diaspora in the US, and I did some work with the US Institute of Peace where I was featured in a documentary about issues in diaspora communities.

Non profit work through various organizations has also always been a profound interest of mine. The use of media to promote issues within my own diaspora community and my Kurdish community back home has been a way for me to feel like I’m contributing in some positive way—however small—to a homeland that I’ve always felt connected to but have never quite had complete access to.

My ultimate aspiration, on a more general level, would be to finally see peace in Iraq as a whole, but, more specifically, I yearn for the day when my particular country—Kurdistan—is finally independent and when its children have the educational and healthcare initiatives in place that ensures a long term, brighter future for generations to come.

PLC: So how did you hear about the Preemptive Love Coalition?
Behar: Maureen Mcluckie from “Kurdistan: Save the Children” first referred me to Jeremy and Cody via email after I expressed my desire to become directly involved with an NPO helping Kurds and Arabs in Iraq from the states.

When I first saw the initial BuyShoesSaveLives website, I remember getting goosebumps as I couldn’t believe the amount of dedication and love PLC put into helping Iraqi children and how easy it was for anyone to simply donate. They even had ideas about how we as students could get involved at our universities, and that’s when I think I knew I’d found the right organization.

Seeing teenagers wear klash with jeans was perhaps another indicator. Who knew Kurdish shoes could look so cool with jeans?!

PLC: You’ve obviously got a big heart for your homeland and these children. Where does your motivation for them come from?
Behar: I think my greatest motivation has been a sincere desire to move beyond the politics and crippling bureaucracy that’s done such a huge disservice to all Iraqis and to simply start at the grassroots level by helping people.

As a child of two Kurdish parents who first came to the US as refugees about thirty years ago, I’ve seen the power of grassroots movements first hand in terms of keeping culture and language alive, but also by bringing people together in the name of a greater cause that we can all believe in.

Helping sick children, many of whom continue to suffer from the diseases contracted by their parents after exposure to Saddam Hussein’s chemical agents, is a cause that is—or at least should be—an easy way to unite people of all backgrounds, be they Kurdish, Iraqi, Turcomen, Assyrian, or your average American with an incredibly big heart. It’s something we can all agree on as human beings, and I couldn’t find an organization that communicated that better than PLC.

PLC: Thanks! Is there anything you’d like to tell the rest of the Coalition? Any rally cries, encouragements, or challenges?
Behar: I’d like to encourage continued commitment despite all the opposition, obstacles and incredibly vocal naysayers that you may encounter along your way. Where there are pure hearts, strong wills, a love of God and a refusal to accept ‘no’ for an answer, there will always be a way, God-willing.

—

Our thanks to Behar and the entire Kurdish Student Organization at George Mason University for being such awesome partners for kids in Iraq! We’re wishing you a happy birthday today from Iraqi Kurdistan!

As Communication Director, Matt Willingham spends most of his time trying to get the word out on PLC's work in Iraq. On the side, he likes reading stories, devouring the great food his wife cooks up, and DSLR camera work. He's also mildly obsessed with Twitter: @mehtin.

See One. Do One. Teach One. Remedy Mission Trains Iraqi Heart Doctors and Nurses for the Future of the Children and their Country

February 23, 2011 by Jeremy · Comments Off 

Push play above for a peek into what it means for our volunteers to be here training local Iraqi heart doctors and nurses. After you’ve viewed it, please “SHARE” below with Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Digg, etc.

If you’re on Twitter this week be sure to use the #RemedyMission hashtag to describe all the good news coming out of Iraq this week via @preemptivelove.

Our Partners

Jeremy Courtney lives and loves in Iraq as a co-founder and Executive Director of the Preemptive Love Coalition. He's also the father of two spectacular children, and married to the lovely Jessica Courtney. When not absorbed in PLC work he can be found writing songs and singing about hope and future. Follow Jeremy on Twitter: @JCourt.

Featured Partner: Emily Potts Photography

February 19, 2011 by matt · 1 Comment 

Emily Potts Photography recently hosted a “Have a Heart” event to raise funds and awareness for our work, and the owner, Emily, (on the right) and her assistant, Danielle, (left) have kindly obliged us with an interview.

PLC: Thanks ladies! Would you mind introducing yourselves to the rest of the Coalition?

Emily: Emily Potts Photography is a boutique portrait studio located in Bartlesville, OK. I’m the owner and photographer and Danielle is one of my super-awesome assistants! We’re both both mothers of small boys and love our families like crazy! We’re also excited about an upcoming expansion of the business and have big ideas for my little studio.

PLC: How did you first hear about our work?

Danielle: I first heard about Preemptive Love Coalition and Buy Shoes. Save Lives. on the radio. I looked it up and found that I knew PLC’s co-founder, Jeremy Courtney, from college. I was so inspired that I spread the word to family and friends, and Emily immediately jumped in with ideas about how to support PLC.

Emily: I heard about PLC from Danielle.

PLC: What is it that motivates you toward compassion for Iraqi children?

E & D: As moms we can only imagine what it must be like for these children and parents to be faced with a life-threatening illness and have no solution. Joining PLC is an amazing opportunity to offer a source of hope for parents facing such a huge trial.

PLC: Is there anything you would like to tell the rest of the Coalition? Any rally cries, encouragements, or challenges?

D & E: We’re so impressed with how generously all of you give of yourselves. We pray for continued awareness of your cause and for all of the families your work is touching. We know there must be times when it feels like this is such an overwhelming process, but we know your work makes such a huge impact on the families you are able to help. We feel so blessed to be just a little part of what you guys do!

————

Thanks, ladies. Definitely take a minute to check out Emily’s website – she takes excellent photos!

And if you’re new here, you should know that most of our supporters are lot like Emily and Danielle. This Coalition consists of hundreds of everyday people who are using their time, creativity, and finances to provide healthy hearts to sick children. There’s no Daddy Warbucks bankrolling our operation – it’s just people like you!

So why not join Emily and Danielle in helping? If you have a small business, click here to learn more about how your small business can make a HUGE difference in the lives of these children!

There is no Coalition without you,

_____________________________________________________________________________________

As Communication Director, Matt Willingham spends most of his time trying to get the word out on PLC's work in Iraq. On the side, he likes reading stories, devouring the great food his wife cooks up, and DSLR camera work. He's also mildly obsessed with Twitter: @mehtin.

Meet Ali. He Finally Got His Lifesaving Surgery on Our Second Trip to Southern Iraq

February 17, 2011 by Jeremy · Comments Off 

Ali gets his surgery from Dr. Novick and the ICHF during our February 2011 Remedy Mission to southern Iraq.

An interview with Cody Fisher about his first encounter with Ali and the journey to where he is today.

Push play above to meet little Ali….

With you,

If you’re on Twitter this week be sure to use the #RemedyMission hashtag to describe all the good news coming out of Iraq this week via @preemptivelove.

Our Partners

Jeremy Courtney lives and loves in Iraq as a co-founder and Executive Director of the Preemptive Love Coalition. He's also the father of two spectacular children, and married to the lovely Jessica Courtney. When not absorbed in PLC work he can be found writing songs and singing about hope and future. Follow Jeremy on Twitter: @JCourt.

Interview with former Iraq War hostage, Nahoko Takato

November 18, 2010 by matt · 1 Comment 

In honor of the first annual Remember Fallujah Week we’ve interviewed a new friend and member of the Coalition, Nahoko Takato. She was instrumental in sending Baby Bakir out of the country for a lifesaving heart surgery, and her continued compassion for Iraqi IDPs and refugees even after being kidnapped and held hostage is inspirational to many world-wide.

PLC: To start, would you tell us a little about your work in and around Iraq?

Nahoko: In 2003, I went to Iraq for the first time to do emergency relief. I started to study the hospital situations in Fallujah and Ramadi and shared what I found with NGOs and the media. I also worked with some NGOs and distributed medicine and basic items. Meanwhile, I was also very involved with street children in Baghdad.

After my incident in April 2004, I traveled to Jordan every 2 months and continued to support Iraqis.

I have been doing medical support for Iraqi refugees in Jordan since 2007, working with Iraqi women who are also refugees, providing medication, supporting costs for surgeries and so on.

My Iraqi friends have sometimes taken very important footage, and I bring them to the media and the human rights organizations so they can share it with a much larger audience.

When in Japan I go on speaking tours and provide information by showing many photos and videos about Iraq. I really think that one of the most important things for the people is “media literacy.”

PLC: So what is it that motivates you to do this kind of work?

Nahoko: Love: I love all kinds of people, different cultures and ideas. I want to do more.

Responsibility: My country (Japan) has been involved in Iraq invasion, in spite of our Peace Constitution.

Guilt: My country sent troops (Self Defense Forces) to Iraq as “Humanitarian Aid” and was providing military support for US troops rather than supporting/helping Iraqis.

PLC: Could you tell us some of the biggest challenges of your work?

Nahoko: I am interested in reconciliation and peacemaking. Each of my projects or activities are about “repairing the relationship.”

I’ve met some Iraq veterans and interviewed them and then brought their messages to Iraqis in hopes of making peace.

Also, I had set up the opportunity for the talk between former- US soldiers and former Iraqi soldiers in the international conference and on a Japanese TV program.

Japan was really loved by Iraqis before, but we had lost their trust since the Iraq war. Actually, some Iraqis refused our aid because the Japanese supported the invasion and occupation. But we continued to give aid to Iraqis anyway without revealing our names. As a result, we were able to gain their trust and repair our relationship with our Iraqi friends.

Now I am preparing for “Peace Talks” between Baghdad University and Keio University in Tokyo. I am seeking for the actual way of reconciliation that leads to real peace.

PLC: It’s incredible that, even after being captured by Iraqis and held hostage, you’ve continued to serve the Iraqi people. How did you endure in the face of such opposition?

Nahoko: The first 3 days I was seriously thinking I might be killed. Firstly, the people of Fallujah surrounded me and demanded to know why Japanese troops came to Iraq to help US troops. And then armed men came and kidnapped us with rockets and hand bombs.

I explained to the kidnappers my humanitarian work in Fallujah and Ramadi and told them to ask the doctors in Fallujah general hospital who I am, but the hospital was besieged at that time and inaccessible. So I continued to explain why I came to Iraq and what I did for emergency aid and what I witnessed the victims in Fallujah. Then the armed group recognized I was not their enemy.

I never call those armed people “terrorists.” I know they are victims who had lost their loved ones for no reason. I know they were farmers and ordinary people, but they had made a decision to pick up weapons to get revenge on US troops.

Just before I was released, I was able to have a long, deep discussion with my kidnappers, and I told them :

“You’re wrong. You made big mistake. You are saying that Americans are bad and killers, but now you are doing the same bad thing to me and my family. I really understand your anger and sadness, I can understand why you picked up weapons and were resistant, but I do not agree with this way. This is just encouraging negative reactions. You might be asking for help from the international world, but you have lost many supporters. You’ve got more enemies now because of these kinds of responses.”

One of the kidnappers put his gun on the floor and asked me with tears, ”How can I be your friend?”

I answered,”I am your friend, that is why I shared my honest feelings with you.”

Right before being released our kidnappers gave us bottles of pure honey which is special gift to receive in Fallujah. They said it was for my family.

After I was released and was interviewed by Al jazeera I said that I was too tired and in shock, but I can not hate the Iraqi people.

On the other hand, I had many shocking treatments by US soldiers while I was in Iraq. They pointed machine guns at me many times, stopped my car with guns and shouted at me and forced me to lie face down on the road. These were also difficult experiences for me, but I have since contacted many Iraq veterans and have had deep, meaningful talks with them. I lived in America as a student and have many good friendships there.

Even when I was treated very badly or physically hurt, this is never enough reason to hate ALL Americans, ALL Iraqis, or ALL Muslims.

I am so honored to work with you, Matt and Jeremy, and with my many American friends, and I am so happy to introduce you to my wonderful Iraqi friends.

After the 2004 kidnapping incident, I was spurned by the Japanese government, media and society. That was what really hurt and “killed” me. The armed group in Fallujah could listen to me and did not kill me, but my own people who are not armed never listened to me and “killed” me. That might have been the biggest shock to me, and not really have a deep talk with Japanese people yet. Now I am trying to forgive… I do not want to hate my people, of course.

Last year, I came back to Fallujah and Ramadi for the first time since 2004, and that was the big turning point for me. A whole 5 years after my kidnapping and social rejection and I was facing Iraqis and speaking out for Fallujah victims. I could not communicate with my own people, and I avoided them.

I always felt the Fallujah victims were supportive of me and using my mouth to express their sadness. I always remembered the sounds of air strikes overhead during my captivity, and I know more than 700 civilian who were killed at that time. Eventually, I came back to Fallujah and prayed in front of their tombs. Since that moment, I had regained my life left behind in Fallujah.

PLC: This week is “Remember Fallujah Week” and I know you’ve had first-hand experiences in the city. Would you mind sharing with us about your relationship with the city of Fallujah and its residents? What do you envision for the future of Fallujah?

Nahoko: When I came to Iraq for the first time in May 2003, I met some young men who came to Baghdad to inform the international media what was happening in Fallujah. They were so angry and said the media never cared about the outlying cities like Fallujah and Ramadi. They demanded that we come to Fallujah and witness what US soldiers had done there. I went and saw the blood of the victims who were shot, and found many injuries in the hospital. People cried and told me that soldiers never listened to them and shot randomly.

Fallujah’s story is similar to many other cities during the Iraq War, but there are still a lot of secrets. Thousands of people were killed by a chemical called white phosphorus and by many other unknown chemicals there.

There are  big pressures on the people who are trying to investigate Fallujah, and the international world should commit to remembering and revealing the atrocities that happened in there.

PLC: Thanks Nahoko for taking the time to share your experiences with us (and in your 3rd language!). May your preemptive love for the people of Iraq galvanize us all to a similar compassion for “the other.”

As Communication Director, Matt Willingham spends most of his time trying to get the word out on PLC's work in Iraq. On the side, he likes reading stories, devouring the great food his wife cooks up, and DSLR camera work. He's also mildly obsessed with Twitter: @mehtin.

NFL’s Likely Top Draft Pick Speaks for PLC

April 23, 2009 by Cody · Comments Off 

Cody Fisher is the co-founder and Development Director of the Preemptive Love Coalition. He moved to Iraq in 2007 where he met his wife and since then they've been waging peace and mending hearts across Iraq. His passions are photography, peacemaking, and food that doesn't come out of a can. You can follow him on Twitter: @candmfisher.

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OUR BLOGGERS

	Matt Willingham is the PLC press secretary and writes primarily on politics, history, general updates and visual peacemaking through photography and film.
	Cody Fisher is a PLC cofounder and writes primarily on program development and peacemaking by giving us a lens into the lives of the real people we love.
	Jeremy Courtney is a PLC cofounder and writes primarily to emphasize our vision and values, including organizational and financial transparency.

Preemptive Love Coalition provides lifesaving heart surgeries for Iraqi children in pursuit of peace between communities at odds. We offer the untold thousands of Iraqi kids suffering from life-threatening heart defects a chance at the surgery they need to save their lives. With our world-class international surgical partners, we create long-term solutions by training local Iraqi doctors and nurses so they can sustainably save lives without our help.

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