Ali is getting so big! We met Ali for the first time last November, when he received heart surgery near his home in Libya. Ali had a rough recovery. He was so sick, there were days we wondered if he’d survive. But Ali did survive, and he continues to grow. One of the bonuses of …
There is a bed in the ICU that has developed a special function over the last few surgical missions. It’s tucked in the back corner and quiet—it’s for resting and growing. It’s a bit like a greenhouse nursery for healing babies. Open heart surgery can be traumatic for little bodies. We see some children bounce …
“Unable to get specialist care for his six year-old daughter in Libya or a visa for treatment abroad, Abdulhakim Shaybi bought a motor boat and set off with her last month across the Mediterranean. Two and a half hours into their journey from Sabratha in western Libya, they reached a European ship deployed to rescue …
For Libyans, Is A Tiny Boat In A Huge Ocean The Only Way To Get Care? Read More »
Saleh before surgery, happy to be in his father’s arms. Saleh, the morning after his open heart surgery: sitting up straight in bed, demanding water. Yelling, actually. At the end of his bed: a stash of treasures his parents brought, including packs of stickers, two plastic horns, a kaleidoscope, and a yoyo. Already played with …
“More than 80% of our hospitals are either closed or not functioning properly” – Reida El Oakley, eastern Minister of Health, Libya. “The instability exacerbates an already catastrophic situation. The so-called Islamic State group has established a stronghold around the coastal city of Sirte; a bombing campaign by a coalition of western powers is probable. …
The large room was lined with beds, each a home-base for a mother and her child as their waited their turn to have surgery and graduate out of the ICU. Mothers whiled away their time talking and fussing over their babies. I made my way to Salima’s bed, and sat on the edge beside her …
Salima And The Complexities Of Down Syndrome Babies Read More »
Things I can tell you about Seraj, at 2 years old: He likes to sleep sideways in bed. He loves his mom like crazy, and missed her so much when she wasn’t beside his bed he called out to her “Mama! Mama!”, and tried to escape his bed to go find her every chance he …
In the Hollywood version of surgical scenes, a surgeon bursts into the operating room using his hip to push open swinging doors. His scrub cap and face mask are already in place, and his freshly scrubbed hands and forearms are held high in the air to keep them sterile. He enters a busy, equipped operating …
Setting The Scene—What Goes Into Prepping A Hospital For Surgery Read More »
The bright operating room lights were trained on the precise place where the repair needed to be made. It was a delicate operation—getting to the heart of the problem. But the “patient” in this case wasn’t a Libyan child—it was the anesthesia machine, and things weren’t looking good. And without an anaesthesia machine—no surgery. When …
Two Parts Engineer, One Part Macgyver—The Biomedical Engineer Read More »
Dr Novick was recently interviewed by the BBC World Service about our work in Libya, watch this video and see the impact you can make if you continue to support us.
