Shortly after the Iraqi borders opened in May,
OBI's first team of volunteer medical professionals was on its way
to Basra, for a two-week mission. Within hours after arriving, both
American and Canadian dentists, physicians, surgeons and nurses
began removing the people's emotional and physical burdens.
In 1996 Kariya noticed a swelling in her teenage son’s left
eye. She took Mozafar to the Basra hospital for treatment, but the
doctors could not determine what was wrong. They referred him to
a hospital in Baghdad. Mozafar’s prognosis was heartbreaking.
A tumor of the blood vessels behind the left eye was found. He began
receiving regular medical attention.
Fading Hope
Years passed and the tumor grew despite check-ups. It eventually
caused blurred vision and tore a small hole between the nose and
eye’s inner corner. The wound bled frequently, causing pain
for the now 22-year-old young man. Tragically he was told there
was nothing further that could be done. “As a mother I could
not [stand to] see the suffering my son was going through, and the
thought of losing him was painful,” expressed Kariya.
Removing Pain
Recently the pain mercifully lifted for both mother and son when
they were able to consult with Operation Blessing volunteer and
neurosurgeon Dr. Park at a hospital in Basra. Dr. Park recommended
that a 4-hour surgery be done immediately. The procedure required
the skills of both Dr. Park and Dr. Miller, a plastic surgeon.
Willing to learn from these two surgeons, the Iraqi surgical team
agreed to proceed. After Dr. Park removed the tumor from behind
Mozafar’s eye, Dr. Miller covered the hole. The operation
saved Mozafar’s life, and the experience taught Iraqi surgeons
what to do in similar cases. The following day the tearful mother
said, “I have been beside my son all these days going through
his pain, but today I am so happy to see him getting well. May God
bless you.”
Surgeon’s Life-changing Experience
A week prior to Operation Blessing’s call, someone asked Dr.
Miller’s wife if he was in Iraq. Taking it as a sign, he had
already prepared himself to go on his first OBI mission when the
call came. Recruiter Melody Waltz relayed an Iraqi plastic surgeon’s
desperate request for an American counterpart to come. It had been
fifteen years since that doctor had been allowed to associate with
another plastic surgeon! Mark quickly chose to reschedule his patients.
He gave his time as well as a prized medical textbook and a skin
graft machine for the Iraqi people.
During the two-week mission, Dr. Miller partnered with Dr. Park
on several operations, performed a cleft-lip surgery, did a skin
graft on a man’s hand who had picked up a live bomb, and gave
a lecture to approximately one hundred third-year Iraqi medical
students. He also consulted with burn and gunshot wound patients.
“Operation Blessing is a first-class organization,”
expressed Dr. Miller. “I really enjoyed my time in Iraq. I’d
do it again and am ready to go back!”
You Can Help
The first volunteer team has returned home, but the work continues
as a team from Indonesia is in Basra right now. It will take time
to furnish the stripped hospital operating rooms, fill the empty
medicine cabinets and share life-saving knowledge in and out of
the classroom with the Iraqi medical community. Meanwhile, young
patients are dying because there’s a lack of knowledge and
medical supplies have run out.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
You can help by making an online donation toward OBI's disaster relief efforts. With your support, we can continue to provide emergency relief and recovery. Please make an on-line donation today.
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