Saddam, Sanctions, & Surgery—Chat 2.0 with Hussain’s Dad

Hussain and his father

A couple weeks ago we had you listen in on a phone conversation with Hussain’s dad. He shared about their family’s long search for a surgery and how eager Hussain is to get a new heart.

I spent several afternoons playing with Hussain while he was waiting to have his diagnostic tests run, and let me tell you, this kid loves to play. Hussain was easily the most fun person to be around at the hospital, and all the time we spent together made me even more excited to stay in touch with him and his family while they wait for surgery. Here are some of the recent questions we asked Hussain’s dad:

PLC: “Would you tell us a little more about what it’s like having a child with Down Syndrome in Iraq?”

Dad: “It’s a big tragedy to have a child with Down Syndrome and to watch them suffer everyday while you can’d do anything to mitigate their pain, but we still thank God for everything and hope for the best for our child.”

PLC:”Our partner doctors said it was illegal to provide medical treatment to children with Down Syndrome under Saddam Hussein’s regime. Is that true?”

Dad: “Yes, but that was not the biggest problem. The biggest problem was that we lived under the embargo which didn’t allow any medicines or vaccines to be imported to Iraq unless it was under the memorandum of understanding between Iraq and the United Nations. The meds were very costly and we couldn’t afford to purchase any for our sick child.”

PLC: “We know Hussain loves to play, but what is his favorite thing to play? Does he have any hobbies?”

Dad: “He loves playing soccer with the neighbor kids, and he really likes to ride his bicycle.”

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We’re just a few weeks away from Remedy Mission X, and we’re hoping to provide Hussain with a long-awaited surgery—check out his page HERE to learn how you can help. We’ll also be sharing his progress on our recently-updated Facebook page. Stick with us…more to come.