Six doctors from Chicago heading to Syria to help earthquake victims
Six doctors from Chicago heading to Syria to help earthquake victims
On Saturday, six volunteer doctors from the Chicago area boarded a plane at O’Hare International Airport en route to Turkey. Once on the ground, they plan on crossing the border into Syria, where their life-saving efforts will begin. Kasey Chronis reports.
CHICAGO - The death toll in Turkey and Syria continues to rise – topping 28,000 – after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck on Monday.
As crews continue to search for survivors in the rubble, doctors are desperately needed to treat the injured and those who are struggling to hold onto life.
On Saturday, six volunteer doctors from the Chicago area boarded a plane at O’Hare International Airport en route to Turkey. Once on the ground, they plan on crossing the border into Syria, where their life-saving efforts will begin.
"Everyone here is very inspired, very enthusiastic and they just want to get on the ground and get to work," said Dr. Samer Attar, an orthopedic surgeon in Chicago.
For the group of physicians traveling to Syria, it wasn't a matter of if they would go, but how soon they could get there.
"We were told, bring our scrubs, bring our work clothes, and once we get there, put them on and get ready to work – whether that’s 12 hours a day or 20 hours a day," said Attar.
The Syrian American Medical Society, or ‘SAMS,’ has provided medical relief abroad for more than 10 years.
About 2,000 SAMS healthcare providers are currently in the disaster zone treating earthquake survivors, but exhaustion is setting in.
Rescue crews race to find survivors as earthquake toll tops 6,000 in Turkey and Syria
Search teams and aid poured into Turkey and Syria on Tuesday as rescuers working in freezing temperatures and sometimes using their bare hands dug through the remains of buildings flattened by a powerful earthquake.
"Now they’re going through very, very rough times. Many of them lost their families, many of them do not know if their families are alive," said Dr. Mufaddal Hamadeh, oncologist & former SAMS president.
Joining Dr. Hamadeh on the volunteer mission is an intensive care doctor, an anesthesiologist, and three orthopedic surgeons.
"A lot of amputations, unfortunately, a lot of fractures," said Attar in reference to the earthquake survivors’ injuries.
In addition to their medical expertise, dozens of bags are going with them.
"There’s not much aid that’s entered Syria over the last five days since the earthquake started, and that’s really heartbreaking," said Hamadeh.
Medical donations were packed earlier in the day at the organization's Orland Park warehouse.
"Mainly we're sending orthopedic surgery supplies, surgical kits, first aid kits, some medications. Also we are packing big pallets and other medical supplies," said Dr. Bassel Atassi, SAMS Midwest Chapter president.
Those supplies – but more importantly, the doctors’ time and the heart they've put into this effort – will offer much-needed relief.
"One patient at a time, one soul at a time," said Hamadeh. "If we can save one life, it will be worthwhile, our trip."
Since Monday, between its Facebook and website fundraisers, SAMS has raised more than $2.3 million to help with its earthquake response effort.
Officials with SAMS tell FOX 32 Chicago their fundraising total is even higher when taking checks and other monetary donations into account.
"The Chicago community has been great to us. They have helped us tremendously. I know many of our colleagues are itching to go – they want to go," said Hamadeh. "This is the first mission, we hope that we can establish more missions down the line."