April 22, 2005

Out of tragedy comes hope

Last December's earthquake and subsequent tsunami off the coast of Southeast Asia destroyed homes, vacation resorts, killed more than 200,000 people and left thousands homeless. But in the midst of such tragic events, came hope for a little boy who was injured in the disaster.

Fadhil Muammar (shown at right with his mother), who is only 18 months old, was being treated on the USNS Navy hospital ship for a head injury sustained from the tsunami when doctors found a tumor on his liver that would have eventually killed him. Soon after the discovery, MGH doctors working with the Project HOPE mission arranged for the young boy to be transferred to Boston for treatment.

"In some ways, the family says the tsunami was one of their greatest blessings," says Vicki Noble, MD, of MGH Emergency Services and one of the Project HOPE volunteers.

Physicians at the MassGeneral Hospital for Children removed the tumor, roughly the size of Fadhil's head, two weeks ago. Fadhil has recovered from his surgery, and he and his family left Boston April 19 to return to Indonesia where they will move to a refugee camp. Although they will return to a homeland destroyed by the tsunami, the family brings home a healthy son.

Before boarding the plane at Logan Airport, Fadhil's mother called the life-saving surgery a blessing. "Thank God he's very healthy and now he'll be like a normal child." The surgery was made possible thanks to a generous donation from local businessman Ray Tye.