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http://www.chiefwiggles.com/blog/archives/000105.html
Trying to save a little girl
Saturday, September 04, 2004
I have a matter of grave importance to discuss with all of you reading my words. Over the past year and a half, I have endeavored in every way possible to give joy and happiness to the children of Iraq and Afghanistan through much needed toys and school supplies. We have given hope to thousands of children in otherwise a very hopeless situation, one child at a time. But now there is a child in dire need of something much more; something we can offer her that will save her life.
Tabarak, a nine month old Iraqi baby, has a tumor since birth that is growing rapidly now threatening her life. She will shortly die if something isn?t done. Her condition is worsening daily but the much needed treatment cannot be performed in Iraq to prevent her death. She needs a life saving operation to remove the tumor, allowing her to have hope for another day, another chance to live a normal life. She requires a combination of steroids, laser therapy, surgical resection, and plastics reconstruction, which can be performed in the United States.
I know there are dieing children all over the world and we can?t save them all, but we can save this one. Every child does matter. We know there is a remedy and a solution to save her life, which can be performed in the USA. Since there is a way to save this beautiful child, then we must do all we can to make this dream a reality.
Tabarak?s family lives in the vicinity of the Abu Ghuraib prison; initially bringing their suffering baby to the guards at the gate in hopes of finding someone who cared. As you know so far nothing but negative reports have come out of the Abu Ghuraib prison and surrounding area. Now we have a chance to give something positive back to the people there, perhaps another chance to win their hearts and minds. Little Tabarak needs our help, right now or else it will be too late.
Much is needed to make this happen.
1. We need a group of pediatricians and plastic surgeons who would volunteer to perform the surgeries.
2. We need a children?s hospital to volunteer their services and her care.
3. We need help in getting her a visa allowing her to travel to the USA.
4. We need monetary assistance to cover her travel and other expenses.
5. We need your help.
Please read three actual letters and emails regarding her condition from 3 doctors, one Iraqi and two American. This is a real situation and there are many concerned people in Iraq that are hoping we can provide this little girl with a life saving solution to her otherwise eminent fate.
With all sincerity I petition for your prompt assistance. With all of your help, your ideas, your connections, we can and will make this come true. Please see what you can do to help Tabarak.
Please find below the emails and letter bringing this little baby?s condition and circumstances to my attention. I have abbreviated the names of the Americans to protect their identity. I will release their names once I receive permission to do so. Dr. Eaman is a well known and accomplished Iraqi doctor working with the Ministry of Health and heads up our Operation Give group.
Let?s rally the forces of the American people through the internet to bring a happy ending to this story. I know we can do it.
Chief Wiggles
1. An email from Doctor Eaman:
Dear Chief Holton
This is a 9 month child and need life saving operation ...all details and pictures provided...I need your help to find sponsor hospital and sponsor donor for transportation and accommodations...
I check in our local specialize hospital and I just get the reply that they can not operate on her because it is highly risky and they do not have a good facility and instrument to back up such kind of major operations ...
you can see the photo of this 9 month child ...they are from poor family ...and have no chance to offer for her to save her life...all the family in big pain because they know that their baby is dying in front of their eyes and they cannot save her because they cannot afford it ...Time is also very important we need to start the process ASAP...
Any further INFORMATION please do not hesitate to ask ..
Dr. Eaman Algobory
2. Forwarded email:
Sirs,
Attached is a letter requesting arrangements be made for a 9 mo old female Iraqi to be sent to the US for lifesaving treatment not available in theater.
As you can see, this child has significant disfiguring and potentially life threatening angiomas of the face.
I know that this is significant request and must go to the very upper levels of government. I feel that this case is worthy of the effort for the following reasons:
1) The child will likely die from starvation or airway compromise if this condition is not addressed. She has already exhausted all avenues of care on the Iraqi civilian system.
2) The condition is likely reversible and the child could have a normal cosmetic result if given the opportunity. Such opportunity is available in the US.
3) The Abu Ghraib Prison could use some goodwill in the neighboring village where this child is from, as right now, they all want to kill us.
4) Of all the places in this theater, Abu Ghraib could really use some good media coverage and what could be more heartwarming than Abu Ghraib prison physicians facilitating this case?
Let me know what you think.
Thanks, Jeff
3.Forwarded letter:
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
HEADQUARTERS, 115TH FIELD HOSPITAL
Abu Ghuraib, Iraq APO, AE 09334
AFZX-HC-FH-CDR 28 AUG 2004
MEMORANDUM FOR Commander 2nd Medical Brigade, ATTN: Civil Affairs
SUBJECT: In the matter of Tabarak Kasim Mouhamad, daughter of Kasim Mouhamad.
1. Tabarak Kasim Mouhamad, daughter of Kasim Mouhamad is a nine month old Iraqi female who was presented to our Marine Corps civil affairs officer by the local Shieks of Abu Ghuraib. They asked for assistance with treatment of her medical condition. The girl?s father presented papers from an Iraqi physician indicating that her condition could not be treated in Iraq. He was told that if she did not get care in the USA that there would be ?serious problems? for her.
2. Tabarak was brought to the gates of the Abu Ghuraib compound for evaluation by LTC M (formerly the Medical Director for Women?s and Children?s Health at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland) and the Commander of the 115th Field Hospital, COL JS. Through an interpreter, the father indicated that his daughter was born with an extremely small reddish lesion on her lower lip. Over the course of 9 months this has grown dramatically to the point that the child is unable to take anything by mouth other than thin liquids (most of which spills from her mouth). The father presented papers showing that an ultrasound exam had been performed and she was given the diagnosis of cavernous hemangiomas.
3. Upon examination of the child, the father was complimented on the overall state of health of the child. She had what appeared to be a normal amount of sub-cutaneous fat. She was not jaundiced. She did have airway sounds indicating external compression by her cervical masses. Her tongue was slightly deviated from sub-glotic masses. The tumors had large and small vessels in a pattern consistent with a severe case of cervical cavernous hemangiomas (aka angiomata).
4. Dr Macedonia, who is a published researcher on the development and anatomy of the newborn upper aerodigestive tract, considers this an extremely concerning case of hemangiomas. Most cases of this disorder follow a predictable path where lesions grow slowly for the first year of life and then involute partially or completely in the next two to three years. Few involve the deep structures of the neck. Rarely is this disorder fatal. There are, however, extreme cases and this appears to be one of them.
5. In the more mild form of the disease, cavernous hemangiomas are usually observed and the natural course is benign. More severe cases can be treated with steroids. In the cases like that presenting in young Tabarak, a combination of steroids, laser therapy, surgical resection, and sometimes plastics reconstruction is required. Dr Macedonia believes that given the environment, the rapidity of growth, and the location of the lesions, that steroid therapy would only be temporizing and that within 1-2 months the child may succumb through malnutrition, respiratory compromise, post obstructive pneumonia, or aspiration.
6. In the United States, this child would have an excellent chance of highly successful therapy providing her with a normal lifespan and cosmetic result. This is a highly treatable disorder in the USA with excellent outcomes at most pediatric hospitals. In Iraq this presentation is in all likelihood fatal or severely disabling. These factors make this case unique among the many that are presented to the civil affairs team at Abu Ghuraib. They feel that aiding this family in their attempt to save their daughter is of significant importance to the relations the Abu Ghuraib FOB has with the Shieks and the larger civilian community.
7. Ideally, this child would be flown to an accepting children?s hospital where she would undergo evaluation for the extent of her hemangiomas. Following a survey of the masses, she would start steroid therapy and concomitantly start laser therapy to shrink the tumor burden. This would likely also involve some for of interventional radiography where sclerosing or thrombotic agents are used to halt flow through the vessels of the tumor. Finally, the masses would be resected and a plastics repair would be performed if needed to give the desired cosmetic effect. There are many well-endowed children?s hospitals in North America that would be candidate facilities for treatment of young Tabarak.
V/R
//S//JES
JS
COL, MC
Commanding
Trying to save a little girl
Saturday, September 04, 2004
I have a matter of grave importance to discuss with all of you reading my words. Over the past year and a half, I have endeavored in every way possible to give joy and happiness to the children of Iraq and Afghanistan through much needed toys and school supplies. We have given hope to thousands of children in otherwise a very hopeless situation, one child at a time. But now there is a child in dire need of something much more; something we can offer her that will save her life.
Tabarak, a nine month old Iraqi baby, has a tumor since birth that is growing rapidly now threatening her life. She will shortly die if something isn?t done. Her condition is worsening daily but the much needed treatment cannot be performed in Iraq to prevent her death. She needs a life saving operation to remove the tumor, allowing her to have hope for another day, another chance to live a normal life. She requires a combination of steroids, laser therapy, surgical resection, and plastics reconstruction, which can be performed in the United States.
I know there are dieing children all over the world and we can?t save them all, but we can save this one. Every child does matter. We know there is a remedy and a solution to save her life, which can be performed in the USA. Since there is a way to save this beautiful child, then we must do all we can to make this dream a reality.
Tabarak?s family lives in the vicinity of the Abu Ghuraib prison; initially bringing their suffering baby to the guards at the gate in hopes of finding someone who cared. As you know so far nothing but negative reports have come out of the Abu Ghuraib prison and surrounding area. Now we have a chance to give something positive back to the people there, perhaps another chance to win their hearts and minds. Little Tabarak needs our help, right now or else it will be too late.
Much is needed to make this happen.
1. We need a group of pediatricians and plastic surgeons who would volunteer to perform the surgeries.
2. We need a children?s hospital to volunteer their services and her care.
3. We need help in getting her a visa allowing her to travel to the USA.
4. We need monetary assistance to cover her travel and other expenses.
5. We need your help.
Please read three actual letters and emails regarding her condition from 3 doctors, one Iraqi and two American. This is a real situation and there are many concerned people in Iraq that are hoping we can provide this little girl with a life saving solution to her otherwise eminent fate.
With all sincerity I petition for your prompt assistance. With all of your help, your ideas, your connections, we can and will make this come true. Please see what you can do to help Tabarak.
Please find below the emails and letter bringing this little baby?s condition and circumstances to my attention. I have abbreviated the names of the Americans to protect their identity. I will release their names once I receive permission to do so. Dr. Eaman is a well known and accomplished Iraqi doctor working with the Ministry of Health and heads up our Operation Give group.
Let?s rally the forces of the American people through the internet to bring a happy ending to this story. I know we can do it.
Chief Wiggles
1. An email from Doctor Eaman:
Dear Chief Holton
This is a 9 month child and need life saving operation ...all details and pictures provided...I need your help to find sponsor hospital and sponsor donor for transportation and accommodations...
I check in our local specialize hospital and I just get the reply that they can not operate on her because it is highly risky and they do not have a good facility and instrument to back up such kind of major operations ...
you can see the photo of this 9 month child ...they are from poor family ...and have no chance to offer for her to save her life...all the family in big pain because they know that their baby is dying in front of their eyes and they cannot save her because they cannot afford it ...Time is also very important we need to start the process ASAP...
Any further INFORMATION please do not hesitate to ask ..
Dr. Eaman Algobory
2. Forwarded email:
Sirs,
Attached is a letter requesting arrangements be made for a 9 mo old female Iraqi to be sent to the US for lifesaving treatment not available in theater.
As you can see, this child has significant disfiguring and potentially life threatening angiomas of the face.
I know that this is significant request and must go to the very upper levels of government. I feel that this case is worthy of the effort for the following reasons:
1) The child will likely die from starvation or airway compromise if this condition is not addressed. She has already exhausted all avenues of care on the Iraqi civilian system.
2) The condition is likely reversible and the child could have a normal cosmetic result if given the opportunity. Such opportunity is available in the US.
3) The Abu Ghraib Prison could use some goodwill in the neighboring village where this child is from, as right now, they all want to kill us.
4) Of all the places in this theater, Abu Ghraib could really use some good media coverage and what could be more heartwarming than Abu Ghraib prison physicians facilitating this case?
Let me know what you think.
Thanks, Jeff
3.Forwarded letter:
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
HEADQUARTERS, 115TH FIELD HOSPITAL
Abu Ghuraib, Iraq APO, AE 09334
AFZX-HC-FH-CDR 28 AUG 2004
MEMORANDUM FOR Commander 2nd Medical Brigade, ATTN: Civil Affairs
SUBJECT: In the matter of Tabarak Kasim Mouhamad, daughter of Kasim Mouhamad.
1. Tabarak Kasim Mouhamad, daughter of Kasim Mouhamad is a nine month old Iraqi female who was presented to our Marine Corps civil affairs officer by the local Shieks of Abu Ghuraib. They asked for assistance with treatment of her medical condition. The girl?s father presented papers from an Iraqi physician indicating that her condition could not be treated in Iraq. He was told that if she did not get care in the USA that there would be ?serious problems? for her.
2. Tabarak was brought to the gates of the Abu Ghuraib compound for evaluation by LTC M (formerly the Medical Director for Women?s and Children?s Health at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland) and the Commander of the 115th Field Hospital, COL JS. Through an interpreter, the father indicated that his daughter was born with an extremely small reddish lesion on her lower lip. Over the course of 9 months this has grown dramatically to the point that the child is unable to take anything by mouth other than thin liquids (most of which spills from her mouth). The father presented papers showing that an ultrasound exam had been performed and she was given the diagnosis of cavernous hemangiomas.
3. Upon examination of the child, the father was complimented on the overall state of health of the child. She had what appeared to be a normal amount of sub-cutaneous fat. She was not jaundiced. She did have airway sounds indicating external compression by her cervical masses. Her tongue was slightly deviated from sub-glotic masses. The tumors had large and small vessels in a pattern consistent with a severe case of cervical cavernous hemangiomas (aka angiomata).
4. Dr Macedonia, who is a published researcher on the development and anatomy of the newborn upper aerodigestive tract, considers this an extremely concerning case of hemangiomas. Most cases of this disorder follow a predictable path where lesions grow slowly for the first year of life and then involute partially or completely in the next two to three years. Few involve the deep structures of the neck. Rarely is this disorder fatal. There are, however, extreme cases and this appears to be one of them.
5. In the more mild form of the disease, cavernous hemangiomas are usually observed and the natural course is benign. More severe cases can be treated with steroids. In the cases like that presenting in young Tabarak, a combination of steroids, laser therapy, surgical resection, and sometimes plastics reconstruction is required. Dr Macedonia believes that given the environment, the rapidity of growth, and the location of the lesions, that steroid therapy would only be temporizing and that within 1-2 months the child may succumb through malnutrition, respiratory compromise, post obstructive pneumonia, or aspiration.
6. In the United States, this child would have an excellent chance of highly successful therapy providing her with a normal lifespan and cosmetic result. This is a highly treatable disorder in the USA with excellent outcomes at most pediatric hospitals. In Iraq this presentation is in all likelihood fatal or severely disabling. These factors make this case unique among the many that are presented to the civil affairs team at Abu Ghuraib. They feel that aiding this family in their attempt to save their daughter is of significant importance to the relations the Abu Ghuraib FOB has with the Shieks and the larger civilian community.
7. Ideally, this child would be flown to an accepting children?s hospital where she would undergo evaluation for the extent of her hemangiomas. Following a survey of the masses, she would start steroid therapy and concomitantly start laser therapy to shrink the tumor burden. This would likely also involve some for of interventional radiography where sclerosing or thrombotic agents are used to halt flow through the vessels of the tumor. Finally, the masses would be resected and a plastics repair would be performed if needed to give the desired cosmetic effect. There are many well-endowed children?s hospitals in North America that would be candidate facilities for treatment of young Tabarak.
V/R
//S//JES
JS
COL, MC
Commanding
Jennifer