IMANA
Medical Relief(IMR) Saves Smiles in Sudan and Rejuvenate Communities in Haiti
Last
Ramadan I was helping to raise funds for two major organizations. Islamic
Relief and Islamic Medical Association of North America’s relief wing IMR.
Talking about the projects on Global TV like Geo is one thing and experiencing
first hand about these projects is totally a different ball game. Last month I
saw a team of volunteer physicians and medical students arriving at IMANA’s
head quarter and spending their weekend in packing supplies in big shockproof
boxes. Sorting them, checking their expiry dates and classifying them according
to the procedures they are going to be used in. Making sure that each category
of material is in enough quantity to be used during the surgeries and treatment
in Sudan and Haiti.
Dr. Ismail Mehr, President Elect was working with the volunteers at times more than everyone, checking if everything is put in respective boxes or not? Address tags are properly displayed or not? More than 10 of these boxes will be traveling with volunteers as their personal luggage to save the money otherwise spent on expensive courier or cargo service. The volunteers and officials purchased their own tickets. IMR only provide logistic support to its volunteers, with food and water, once they arrive in Sudan or Haiti.
Dr. Ismail Mehr, President Elect was working with the volunteers at times more than everyone, checking if everything is put in respective boxes or not? Address tags are properly displayed or not? More than 10 of these boxes will be traveling with volunteers as their personal luggage to save the money otherwise spent on expensive courier or cargo service. The volunteers and officials purchased their own tickets. IMR only provide logistic support to its volunteers, with food and water, once they arrive in Sudan or Haiti.
Their
‘Save Smile’ clinic starts in the first week of March in Sudan. This clinic
performs surgery on hundreds of Sudanese who suffer from Cleft Palate, a birth
defect, which is very common in Sudan. Due to lack of awareness and surgical
intervention, these children and adults, suffer throughout their lives and are
isolated and annihilated by the society. The volunteer plastic surgeons,
anesthesiologists, nurses and medical students get time out from their busy
schedule and travel to Sudan to help these individuals gain self esteem and a
chance to live like a normal person. The happiness and empowerment these
volunteers bring to the communities is out of this world. There was a young
woman who sold her livestock and walked three days with the money to reach
“Save Smile” Clinic in Khartoum. She was surprised to see that doctors are
Muslim physicians from US who are not charging a penny for their service. Tears
of happiness and gratitude came into her eyes after the surgery, when she saw
her defect repaired. She got married after few months and is living a very
happy life with her husband. A blind 55 years old Qur’an teacher, who lived
with the defect his whole life, praised and prayed loudly after he touched
freshly repaired lips against the advice of the surgeon Pervez Malik. What is
better in life than to serve it to bring a smile to the faces of people who are
otherwise ignored and ridiculed by the society?
While
Save Smile Clinic will be spreading smiles on the faces of patients and their
family members in Sudan, another volunteer team will be working in Haiti to
diagnose and treat patients, in a remote town, where people don’t see a regular
doctor routinely. Not because they don’t afford it but simply because they
don’t have a doctor there. Dr. Nadeemullah, a Board Certified physician in
Internal Medicine, Palliative and Hospice care spearheads this project. He
takes three or four teams of volunteers every year since the earthquake hit
that island. They go with medicines and other materials to help the disease
afflicted community.
This
year I am also joining the Haiti team. I hope I will bring more information on
this project when I come back.
It
is not Ramadan but do we have to wait for Ramadan to dig into our pockets and
help IMANA Medical Relief’s humanitarian projects in Sudan and Haiti?
To
help IMR mail your donations to
IMANA
Headquarters
101
W. 22nd Street Suite 106
Lombard,
IL 60148
Ph:
630-932-0000
