Ranu Giving Others Rides on Her Bike After Her Successful February Surgery
June 29, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Yesterday, PLC Family Advocates and Summer Interns visited Ranu, one of our heart surgery kids from February.
She looks so different, we almost didn’t recognize her! Not only does she have a new hair cut, but she looks much healthier. While we were there, she was running and playing, which she was unable to do before her surgery. Prior to her surgery, whenever she was tired, she just laid down wherever she was. Now, she is able to run and play like any other 5 year-old. In fact, she was so active, while we were there, she gave kids rides on her two-seater bike.
![[Post to Twitter]](http://preemptivelove.org/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter-micro3.png){kind=icon}
![[Post to Plurk]](http://preemptivelove.org/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-plurk-micro3.png){kind=icon}
![[Post to Yahoo Buzz]](http://preemptivelove.org/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-buzz-micro3.png){kind=icon}
![[Post to Ping.fm]](http://preemptivelove.org/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-ping-micro3.png){kind=icon}
![[Post to StumbleUpon]](http://preemptivelove.org/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-su-micro3.png){kind=icon}
Bruska Ready for School in the Fall After Successful Heart Surgery Last January
June 27, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Yesterday, PLC Family Advocates and Summer Interns went to visit Bruska. Bruska was all smiles while we were there. She really wants to go to school next year with her older sister. You can tell she really loves her family and that she enjoys being around people. As our physical therapist, Ruth, worked a little with her, her face lit up - especially while playing with her doll.
She is doing well since her heart surgery in January.
Roshna Surprises All by Passing Her Classes In Spite of Many Absences Prior to Surgery
June 26, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Yesterday, PLC Family Advocates and Summer Interns visited Roshna, a sixteen year old girl who had heart surgery in February, who seems to be doing well.
When asked about how she now feels post-surgery, she says that her lips no longer turn blue from lack of oxygen and she is able breathe much easier. She is happy, making jokes and laughing during our visit.
Roshna had exciting news for us: She passed her school exams, which was quite an accomplishment because she had missed three months of school this year due to her heart condition. The school threatened to not allow her to take her exams because they said there would be no way she could pass them, but she proved them wrong! We are all very proud of her!
Now that she is on summer break, she enjoys drawing and watching TV. She showed us several of her recent drawing which she had copied free-handedly.
She’s excited about the future and looks forward to going to college and possibly being an engineer.
Heart surgeries for Iraqi kids is so much more than it often sounds. These life-saving heart surgeries are game changing, allowing kids to complete their school and aspire to the highest fields of work in the land.
Aria is the Happiest Guy in Town a Year After Heart Surgery
June 25, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
PLC interns and Family Advocates met with Aria and his family last Thursday. Oh, the hospitality of this wonderful family! Aria is 3 years old, has Down Syndrome, and has survived a heart surgery - yet is one of the happiest little guys we’ve met here. Although his heart was operated on nearly a year and a half ago, you could never tell. He loves the camera and perks up whenever one is pointed towards him. He’ll pause whatever he’s doing…pose for you…then run to you to see how it turned out.
For a majority of the time, we “played” with both Aria and his older sister, which consisted of dodging flying toys as they were thrown about the room - typical behavior of a three year old boy. The family is incredible, and treated us as the most honored of guests. Though not having much, their need would never be seen by what was given to us. We (the interns) hope to return to their home soon - as we want to continue building the relationship that has been started by PLC Family Advocates.
Heran Full of Energy & Center of Attention Back in Iraq
June 17, 2009 by admin · 1 Comment
On Wednesday of last week PLC Family Advocates and our summer interns were blessed with the opportunity to see little Heran less than 24 hours after she arrived back in her home city.
She and her family were beaming with gratitude as she was passed from lap to lap of her four older sisters. As the youngest sibling, she is used to standing back and observing, and now she is not quite sure how to handle all of the attention. Even though her words were few, she sat by our sides and happily showed each of us every picture on the camera she took to Istanbul. She would smile shyly as her parents proudly talked about her improved overall health and new opportunities that are now before her.
Her energy was almost surprising after such an invasive surgery, quickly bouncing from the living room to the bedroom to the kitchen. Her family was so receptive and welcoming to the PLC staff; it is exciting to know that all of their hearts have been touched through this process, not just Heran’s.
The Smile of a Life-Changed: Roman at Home with Dad
June 15, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
When some of PLC’s summer interns visited Roman he was riding around on his little bicycle and walking in and out of the room to see what was going on - just a little over two weeks after his life-saving heart surgery. His family was very hospitable!
Except for a slightly decreased appetite Roman has been recovering extremely well. His life has truly been changed for the better.
Airport…still
June 9, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
We were on the bus headed to the airplane when a Turkish flight attended came inside the bus and called for Faraydoon Hama - Shad’s father.
We both disembarked and began one of the most painful, maddening, frustrating discussions of our lives with the Turkish airline, the Turkish customs agents, the hired logistics company, and the hospital staff. We had all of 5 minutes to sort out the situation or be left behind.
The situation: Customs was requiring an obscure document from the Iraqi Consulate even though the Iraqi Consulate had assured us that everything we procured yesterday would suffice.
In the end, we were pulled off the plane and Shad’s body was held up in Customs another 5 hours. We’ve been rerouted to a different city in Iraq and are currently set to arrive at 1 a.m. this evening.
After all of that, we were informed that Shad’s body would not be on the flight with us. The logistics company ended up contracting a cargo company to transport the body.
All of this to say, Shad’s father and his family have seen insult upon insult added to great injury. I’m not sure there is much “fault” or “blame” to be cast here, but for a grieving father everything is seen in terms of fault and blame.
If all goes well they will meet their family outside the “gates” of their city at about 4 a.m. to begin the grieving process in earnest.
Shad & The Rest of Us Heading Home to Iraq
June 8, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
After immeasurable sadness and disappointment Shad’s father, Faraydoon; Faraydoon’s brother-in-law who made a special trip from Sweden to be with him in his loss; and PLC’s Jeremy Courtney are boarding a plane Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. in hopes that the logistics firm we hired will be able to complete all of the necessary procedures with Turkish Customs and our partners at Atlasjet airline so that Shad’s body will be able to travel home on the same flight.
We expect scores of people at the airport in Iraq tomorrow afternoon to receive Faraydoon and Shad’s body back and to formally begin the mourning process.
Shad’s life and Shad’s death have affected us each deeply… and it has clearly affected many of you as well. We are so grateful for the depth of your emails and condolences and encouragement that we not grow weary as a result of this horrendous set back but that we push forward for the sake of the thousands of other children in Iraq who - barring a lot of financial generosity and a miracle - could very easily meet a similar end.
Day of Prayer and Preparation for Shad Faraydoon Hama
June 8, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Today is a day of pray and preparation for Shad Faraydoon Hama and the repatriation of his body into Iraq. Today, in accordance with Islamic rites and rituals, a Muslim cleric will be called upon to facilitate the washing of Shad’s body and it’s preparations for burial (which will likely occur sometime tomorrow afternoon, immediately upon arrival in Iraq).
Meanwhile in Iraq the men of Shad’s family have been praying for Shad and his father in their neighborhood mosque.
These are difficult days and many more are still ahead.
One of the preparations under consideration stems from the desire on the part of some to begin a memorial fund in Shad’s name as a way of funding heart surgeries for kids so that they do not have to wait ten years before they receive their chance at life. Above all, our concern right now is to honor Shad’s family and to not make a show out of his death. He was valuable and loved in his own right - regardless of whether his death leads to the benefit of others.
If we choose to act upon the calls and encouragements for a memorial fund, please know that we will have done so very carefully and in full consultation with his family.
Shad Faraydoon Hama (b. Nov. 18, 1999 - d. June 6, 2009)
June 6, 2009 by admin · 4 Comments
Shad Faraydoon Hama passed away this morning after ten years of fighting the heart disease, blood problems, and the resulting pulmonary embolism that finally took his life.
Dr. Sertaç Çiçek and his team tried everything known in the realm of pediatric cardiology to save Shad’s life… but in the end ten years of suffering had taken too much of a toll on his increasingly fragile body.
On June 3rd - when Shad was still surprising everyone by how well he was doing - he and his father talked extensively about when he would be going home. His father insisted that they would leave on Saturday. But Shad - as though he knew something that no one else knew - maintained that he would not be ready to leave by Saturday… that they would return together on the Tuesday morning flight.
In the end, they were both right. Shad did leave this place today, Saturday, June 6th. And his father is scheduled to return to his home city with his son’s body on Tuesday, June 9th.
As we stood with his father by Shad’s bedside this morning just minutes after his death, the most joyous and saddest words I’ve ever heard with my own ears were spoken by Shad’s father to his little boy. He said:
My dearest little Shad, your life on this earth was so difficult and full of sadness. But it was such a joy for me to have you here. But now your life here is over; you are in Joy and Happiness forever. But now I am the one left in difficulty and sadness without you.
You were like seven sons to me. You were like seven brothers, too. My son! My friend! What will I tell your mother? What will I tell your grandmother? My eldest boy… how can I live without you?
Xwa hafiz, Shada gyan. Xwa hafiz.
-
Shopping Cart
Your shopping cart is empty.
SAVE HUSSEIN CAMPAIGN
In partnership with PLC
CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE IN IRAQ
-
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
-
ARCHIVES
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- October 2006
MORE ABOUT PLC
FUNDRAISING LINKS
