February 3, 2006

Journey of a lifetime for young patient and MGH physician

Rakan Hassan has experienced more tragedy in his young life than most 12-year-olds. The young boy from Iraq was accidentally shot and seriously wounded last January — an incident that also left him and his six siblings orphaned. Because of inadequate medical care, Rakan had little hope of a full recovery until he was given the opportunity to come to the United States for treatment. In September, he embarked on a valiant journey of hope and opportunity that led him to the MGH, where he has been treated for the last five months.



Above, Ronan, left, with Boston Globe reporter Kevin Cullen and Col. Tod Wall of the Mississippi Air National Guard

He was brought to the MGH with support from the Ray Tye Medical Foundation, U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Project HOPE and the U.S. military, which provided air transportation. Rakan's injury was severe — the bullet lodged in his spine, leaving him paralyzed and with serious damage to his bladder and bowel.

After extensive evaluation and treatment by doctors and nurses at MassGeneral Hospital for Children, Rakan was transferred to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital where he began intensive physical and occupational therapy to regain his mobility.

"With the help of many good people at the MGH and Spaulding, Rakan overcame enormous physical challenges," says Laurence Ronan, MD, of MGH Internal Medicine Associates, director of the Thomas S. Durant Fellowship in Refugee Medicine, and Rakan's attending physician. "He is a boy with a lot of spirit, character and courage, and we were all very proud to be a part of his recovery."

Because of Rakan's tremendous progress and can-do spirit, he now can walk with crutches and was cleared to travel aboard a military airplane back home to Mosul this week, escorted by Ronan.

After Ronan successfully accompanied his young patient home to Iraq, his trip to the worn-torn country took an unexpected turn on the way back to the United States. Ronan ended up on the same military flights from Balad to Ramstein and then on to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland that brought home ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff and cameraman Doug Vogt. Woodruff and Vogt were both severely injured by a roadside bomb north of Baghdad earlier in the week. Ronan was able to see firsthand the incredible medical care the two patients received aboard the C-17 Air Force transport jet that carried a mobile intensive care unit.

"The extraordinary care that the nation witnessed our military deliver to those two severely injured newsmen during the past few days is standard care for our troops who daily suffer similar injuries or worse," says Ronan. "We should be very proud of and grateful to these doctors and nurses at the Combat Support Hospitals, Critical Care Air Transport teams and Lundstahl Regional Medical Center."