The Iraqi Children's Project

Ibrahim

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:30:54 +0000

Ibrahim is a five year old boy who lost his legs in an explosion. Without a wheelchair, he had to crawl on the ground in Iraq and was not able to explore his surroundings. He came to the United States where Springfield Shriners Hospital fitted him with prosthetic legs, allowing him to walk again. He was excited and grateful to regain his mobility, and loved his time in the United States.

Awham

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:28:29 +0000

Awham is a 17 year old girl who suffered second and third degree burns over 50% of her body surface area. She received life-saving care for severe infections and wound closure in Iraq, and came to Boston Shriners Hospital for medical and surgical burn care. She had a difficult course in Iraq and a challenging transport to the United States, but through the tremendous dedication of many volunteers, she was given new hope to survive her devastating injuries. She successfully battled against the odds, survived her burns, and returned to Iraq in excellent condition.

Baby Noor

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:27:08 +0000

Baby Noor is a one year old girl who came to the United States for life-saving surgery to correct a congenital defect, through the efforts of West Point grad and Army LT Sarah Dreyfus. Residents of the great states of Missouri, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania were especially supportive of this effort. She was beloved by all the Bostonians who met her, and returned to Iraq with a new lease on life.

Shireen

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:25:03 +0000

Shireen is a two year old girl who sustained severe second and third degree burns to her face, trunk, and legs. ICP assisted in bringing her to the United States for burn care, and thanks to the tremendous efforts of the staff at Boston Shriners Hospital, she made excellent progress, allowing her successful return to Iraq in great condition.

Ikram

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:20:57 +0000

Ikram is a one year old girl who we brought to the United States for life saving burn care. She was severely burned and had critical injuries to her head and face, but with the outstanding care she received at Boston Shriners Hospital, she had all her burns closed and was able to walk normally. She returned to Iraq and will need further treatment to address scarring and contractures as she grows.

Hadiyah

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:16:55 +0000

Hadiyah is a 10 year old girl who sustained second and third degree burns on her chest, arms, and face. She too developed life threatening infections which could not be adequately treated in Iraq, so the Iraqi Childrens Project helped her to come to the United States where Boston Shriners Hospital gave her world class burn care. Within weeks, she was walking, then running, playing soccer, and enjoying life again. Her wounds healed well and she was able to return to her family in Iraq.

Dhuha

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:12:44 +0000

Dhuha is a 10 year old girl who sustained second and third degree burns over a large part of her trunk. When her burns became badly infected and threatened her life, the Iraqi Children’s Project helped to bring her to the United States where she was treated at Boston Shriners Hospital, one of the worlds’ best pediatric burn care centers. After several months of intensive medical and surgical treatment, she returned to Iraq in excellent condition.

Ahmed

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:09:05 +0000

Ahmed is a 19 year old boy who had a softball sized tumor in his neck compressing his airway, making it hard for him to breathe and threatening his life. He was terrified that he would suffocate and die but was unable to afford care in Iraq. The Iraqi Children’s Project first funded his chemotherapy in Iraq while he was awaiting visa approval, then brought him to Philadelphia for treatment at Jefferson University Hospital. He received state of the art treatment for Hodgkin’s Disease including additional chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and a bone marrow transplant.

His treatment was successful, his cancer appeared cured, and his prognosis is excellent. While he was in Philadelphia, he became friends with many of the medical students and often played soccer with them between classes. As well, he met some fellow Iraqis who were studying at the University of Pennsylvania, and valued having some friends from home nearby.

Ali

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:07:07 +0000

Ali is a one year old boy born with a complex heart defect called transposition of the great arteries which was causing heart failure, shortness of breath, and cyanotic spells in Iraq, threatening his life. His parents were frustrated with their inability to get him adequate care in Iraq and feared that he would die. With the help of Boston Red Sox team doctor Larry Ronan, he was welcomed to Boston where the Massachusetts General Hospital surgically repaired the defect and greatly improved his quality of life.

Within 10 days of open heart surgery, he left the hospital and actually was seen running for the door. After the successful operation, he is no longer having any symptoms and his activity level has returned to that of a normal energetic boy. Ali and his parents decided to stay in Boston and he now speaks fluent English and Arabic. He recently welcomed a new baby sister named Amina into his family.

Fatima

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:04:55 +0000

Fatima is a 5 year old girl with a ventricular septal defect which was causing failure to thrive in Iraq. Her family was concerned about her low weight and lack of normal developmental progress, and they were not able to get her adequate care in Iraq. They brought her to a U. S. Army Forward Operating Base where the Soldiers fell in love with her beaming smile. She received advanced evaluation and care at the Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania, followed by a successful return to Iraq.