Surgery Helps Iraqi Girl See Again

Out of two decades of tragedy in Iraq comes this story of hope.  It’s the story of an Iraqi girl named  Nadam.  One day, Nadam was walking down the street with her father when a bomb exploded near them.  The husband and father of eight died on the scene.  Nadam suffered severe injuries to her right eye. 

With eight hungry mouths to feed and no breadwinner at home, Nadam’s mother afford to get her the proper treatment that was needed for her eye to properly heel.  This delay in adequate medical treatment led to a rapid deterioration in her vision from the inside, as well as the physical appearance from the outside.

The loss of her vision and the pain of living with a distorted physical appearance kept Nadam at home from school, and she eventually lost hope in her future. 

That all changed when the Baghdad office of Life for Relief and Development learned of Nadam’s story.  Life staff was visiting with orphans in the province of Ninawi when they heard of Nadam’s case.  Nadam’s mother told them of the anguish and pain she has lived with after losing her husband and then being left to care for eight children, one of whom is partially blind. 

Life’s staff reassured the mother that they would do what they could to help, and soon, they came up with a plan of action to help Nadam, who by the fall of 2011 was 16 year-old. 

Life’s Jordan office made contact with skilled ophthalmologists at the Islamic Hospital in Amman and informed them of Nadam’s case.  The doctors were confident that they could restore Nadam’s vision if she could be brought to Jordan. 

With this good new in hand, Life’s staff in Iraq informed Nadam’s family that they would pay for her trip to Jordan and any expenses associated with her medical treatment there. 

Nadam soon traveled to Jordan with her uncle, and began a series of procedures to reconstruct vital parts of her right eye. 

Her damaged cornea was ultimately removed, and a fresh cornea, procured from Jordan’s new Eye Bank, was implanted. on the eye. 

It soon became clear that the cornea transplant was a success, as Nadam started to see again out of her right eye for the first time in years.   

Nadam has been given a second chance to see the world that surrounds her, and to live her life to her fullest potential.  She’s back at home in Iraq now, and cannot express her gratitude enough to Allah (SWT) and to Life’s donors, who made her surgery possible.

Just like we helped Nadam, together we—Life for Relief and Development and you the donors—can help other children who are in need of medical treatment.  Please click on the button below to support our efforts.