EMERGENCY
|
|
|
Hello Jean Paul
I hope you are doing well.
I wanted to provide you with some hope and optimism now we have seen the end of a particularly challenging January, and few stories are filled with more positivity than Beniella’s & Divine’s and our news from Sudan:  Beniella and Divine (pictured above), aged 4 and 15 respectively, are from Burundi, one of Africa’s poorest countries and where proper medical facilities or treatment is sparse. They were both diagnosed with heart defects that put their health at severe risk. Both them and their families were flown to our Salam Centre for Cardiac Surgery where they received free, high-quality treatment. What brings us the most hope is when asked what they want to be when they’re older, Divine replied, “My wish is to be a nurse”, while Beniella said, “I want to be a doctor so I can help people who are suffering”. So whatever 2021 brings, hopefully the world will now have a future doctor and nurse that it might not have had, we think that’s something to be thankful for.
Further cause for positivity in Sudan comes from our work in Darfur. In December, after 9 years of forced closure, we finally reopened our Paediatric Centre in Nyala, Darfur, where within hours of opening, 23 patients had already been treated. Find out more here.  We know reasons for optimism aren’t always easy to come by at the moment, but if there’s one thing that EMERGENCY can always provide, it’s hope. Take care, and hope to speak again soon Jean Paul Elie Executive Director P.S. if you are still looking for a New Year’s resolution, it’s never too late! Why not set up a small regular gift if you can? Simply click here if you would like to set up a monthly donation |
|
Good morning Jean Paul,
I wanted to end this tough year with a message from EMERGENCY war surgeon Dr. Khushal to you and all our wonderful supporters:
“I became a war surgeon because of the situation which is happening in Helmand province in Afghanistan. In this situation, where we are battling war, a Surgical Centre like EMERGENCY’s has a huge impact, it’s a service for our poor people and injured people. If EMERGENCY wasn’t here, our patients, our people, would fact big problems. They come to the hospital in really bad conditions. Our job and services are very important and necessary, especially in these critical conditions. First of all, I turn to all the donors who help us: EMERGENCY’s is the biggest centre for war victims in the area and region. It’s really necessary for the donors to keep providing us with their help. I can say the donors can be sure that the money they are going to EMERGENCY is being spent in a proper way, so I would like to tell them to keep going with their donations. Thank you!” – Dr Khushal. Surgeon at EMERGENCY’s Surgical Center for War Victims in Lashkar-Gah, Helmand Province, Afghanistan  As Dr Khushal says, we really could not have helped so many people living in unimaginable circumstances of war and poverty without brilliant people like you Jean Paul Thank you so much. This year would have been even harder for a lot of people without EMERGENCY, and without the generosity of our supporters. Here’s to the end of this year and to looking towards bigger and brighter things in 2021. Wishing you a happy and healthy new year. All the best P.S. please do share this with anyone who would like to see Dr. Khushal’s message and would like to donate. We could not agree more with his message and how important our donors are. |
|
Jean Paul,
Dr. Khushal is having a break.
He is sat in the garden in EMERGENCY’s Surgical Center for War Victims in Lashkar-Gah, Helmand province; one of the most war-torn areas of Afghanistan and, as Dr. Khushal says, the most affected by COVID-19 too.
He removes his mask like a knight taking off his armor and introduces himself:  “I am Dr. Khushal working with EMERGENCY on war surgery for Afghanistan people. I am a senior surgeon working with national and international staff, doing my job for my people”
For everyone, this year has been like no other. But in Lashkar-Gah and for Dr. Khushal, COVID-19 is not the only reason. The surgical center has been treating war victims since 2004, but this year was one of Afghanistan’s most violent in recent history.
Thanks to our amazing supporters, the center has treated over 2,100 war victims, a 22% increase on 2019 because of the heightened conflict. A chilling reminder that war does not stop for a pandemic. Fortunately, neither does EMERGENCY.  Last year, 260 patients treated at the Lashkar-Gah War Surgery were under five years old. 46% of patients were women or children. Such is the atrocity of war that continues to ravage Afghanistan.
As he speaks, it is clear Dr. Khushal is impatient to get back to the ward, despite what he has witnessed and the numerous children afflicted by war that he has had to operate on.
No wonder he needs a break.  Dr. Khushal epitomises EMERGENCY’s resilience. Its dedication to ensure those affected by war get the treatment they need and deserve, whatever happens. Whether there’s a pandemic, or war. We don’t stop.
We hope you are proud of EMERGENCY, because it is our supporters that are the reason we are able to never stop. It is this kindness that keeps us going Jean Paul. We are resilient because our donors’ support is resilient.
A donation to EMERGENCY can help more than you can imagine. You can help us build hospitals, you can help us treat people living in poverty and war, you can help us train more doctors like Dr. Khushal.
You are important to us, and we know times are tough for many at the moment so we understand if you are unable to donate.
It really would mean the world to our doctors like Dr. Khushal who will persevere through any difficulty to treat their patients.
Your support would not only be an expression of gratitude during the Thanksgiving holiday to the doctors and nurses who risk their lives, but it would also allow us to train more local doctors and gift the world with more brilliant medical staff like Dr. Khushal..
Thank you, a thousand times thank you,
P.S. We appreciate times are tough for many so please feel free to say no if you are unable to donate. If you know someone who can donate, could you ask them to donate to us?  |
|
Hello Jean Paul, I hope this finds you well.
We have some news from the Mediterranean Sea which we wanted to share with you.
Three rescue missions took place between 10 & 11 November. 255 people have been brought onboard Open Arms, including 12 women and 80 minors – 76 of whom are unaccompanied.
EMERGENCY’s medical team onboard have been doing everything they can to treat the survivors. Sadly however, five people did not survive, including a six month old baby named Joseph.
Luca, EMERGENCY’s nurse onboard, recounts her experience:  “I don’t know where to begin.
– Luca, EMERGENCY’s nurse onboard Open Arms
This is video footage taken from the Open Arms rescue boat. Please be advised some may find these images distressing Reports of boats in distress have been continuous over the past few days. The Open Arms ship is on its own; it is the only vessel left to currently operate in the Mediterranean after all other humanitarian missions have been stopped under administrative pretexts.
If we had not been there, what would have happened to these people?
Your kindness has meant that we were able to be there. War, pandemic, whatever happens, we can be there, thanks to you Jean Paul
Sincerely, thank you Elie
|
|
|
|
|
