My Impression of Korea - Korea.net

GLOBAL KOREA
Feeling better, children play cards with their mothers
Six Iraqi children who received heart surgeries and their family make the sign of a heart above their heads
‘Thank You, Korea’
Heart Surgeries
for Six Iraqi
Children a Flying
Success
BY PARK MIN-YOUNG
STAFF WRITER
Six Iraqi children returned to
their country on Oct. 15 after
having their heart-related diseases
cured in Korea.
They arrived in Korea on Sept. 23
through the invitation of a charity
foundation made up of Korea Exchange
Bank and Sejong General Hospital. The
foundation funded the surgeries after
Korean peacekeeping troops of the
Zaytun unit in Iraq diagnosed them
with congenital forms of heart disease.
The six suffered from heart diseases
which can be cured when treated
early but can be deadly if not. They
needed prompt treatment but could
not afford it.
They were all in serious condition
by the time they arrived in Korea. Risk
was high for 6-year-old Ranea Selah,
who suffered from a congenital malformation
of the heart.
“Even doing a close examination
was dangerous for her, not to mention
undergoing surgery,” said Dr. Kim Sujin
of Sejong General Hospital.
In what was likely a miracle,
Ranea survived four complex surgeries
and is rapidly recovering. So are
the rest of the kids.
“Compared to the day they first arrived,
they are incredibly healthy and
their complexion looks good,” said Dr.
Kim. “They will be able to live healthy
lives with their normal hearts now.”
Now full of energy, the six — from
the youngest, Hawkar Mujafar, who is
one and a half, to the oldest, Sana
Farup, who is 12 — cannot stop giggling
even for a second.
“Thank you very much,” Sana said
with a shy smile. “A million thank
yous would not be enough, as Korea
has saved my life. I feel more like a
Korean than Iraqi now, since they gave
me a Korean heart.” Sana cannot wait
to go to school and be with her friends.
For the younger ones, the moms
couldn’t wait to send them off to
kindergarten.
“I never let him go outside at all before.
But now, he can attend kindergarten
when we go back,” said Abdulla
Najat’s mother, stroking her son’s head.
“We want to thank the Korean
government and the Zaytun unit for
giving us this wonderful opportunity,”
she added.
This is not the first time the Korean
military and hospitals have worked side
by side to save Iraqi lives. Sejong
General Hospital, the Zaytun unit and
other charity foundations co-sponsored
surgeries in 2007 for Iraq war amputees
and patients with heart disease.
The kids toured Seoul on Oct. 14. It
was a meaningful day for them, as
they were outdoors without worrying
about getting sick.
Getting ready for the big day out,
12-year-old Sarwar Kadir expresses
his excitement by running around the
hospital. He was always optimistic,
even on the day of his arrival, wearing
a suit and shiny shoes to commemorate
his visit to Korea.
Now that he is healthy, he is a ball
of energy.
“Feel like you can run really fast?”
someone asks him.
“Of course!” Sarwar answers proudly
with a mischievous smirk on his face
— just like any other 12-year-old. ■
(Photos by The Korea Herald)
Sarwar Kadir poses with his doctor
18 KOREA NOVEMBER 2008
NOVEMBER 2008 KOREA 19