A campaign to send desperately needed medical supplies to Lebanon is being led by a second-year medical student from 十大菠菜台子威廉博蒙特医学院.
Majd Faraj, 黎巴嫩裔美国人, said he is working with Southfield-based 世界医疗救济 to get medical supplies to the country — one of many that continue to deal with the impact of COVID-19.
法拉吉说，物资将运往 拉菲克哈里里大学医院, which is a nonprofit hospital that numerous sources identify as the primary hospital in Lebanon for COVID-19 patients.
通过一个 GoFundMe页面, Faraj hopes to raise $15,000 to cover the costs of the supplies and shipping. He hopes to hit the goal before the next school year begins in mid-August.
“Lebanon’s call has reached all parts of the world,” states the campaign’s GoFundMe页面. “We, 作为黎巴嫩侨民和黎巴嫩文化和人民的爱好者, cannot sit back as our families and loved ones suffer as if no one is there to offer help or lend a listening ear to the cries of pain and help.”
Faraj also cites the need in light of a “gruesome economic crisis in Lebanon (that) has thrown people’s lives into a mysterious fate”.
“The COVID-19 pandemic rendered the situation even more complicated,” states the GoFundMe页面. “The medical sector in Lebanon has sustained one of the greatest hits with the current state. Certain medical supplies and medications are limited and prone to becoming unavailable.”
Inaya Hajj Hussein博士.D., 副教授, 基础医学研究系, OUWB, was among those who supported Faraj’s efforts to launch the campaign.
Hajj Hussein is familiar with the region having taught at Beirut Arab University, 黎巴嫩大学和贝鲁特美国大学, 她也是那里的研究助理.
She said Faraj’s “efforts to raise money for medical supplies to send to Lebanon is an excellent way to create a bond and help to strengthen relationships through a shared goal.”
确定需求
法拉吉在黎巴嫩出生和长大. 他在密歇根大学获得本科学位. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, Faraj was wrapping up his first year at OUWB.
During the summer, he watched what was happening in Lebanon and began exploring ways to help.
通过世界医疗救援组织以前的志愿工作, he was familiar with the organization and reached out to determine how he could get medical supplies from metro Detroit to Lebanon. (世界医疗救助组织是世界医疗救助组织的成员之一 社区合作伙伴.)
Faraj said he learned that if he raised enough to cover the cost of supplies and shipping, 他最多能寄500美元,价值5000美元的装备，成本约为15美元,000.
After receiving positive feedback from Hajj Hussein, Firass Abiad, M.D., head of 拉菲克哈里里大学医院, others, he launched a GoFundMe campaign. In the first two weeks, the campaign raised just under $6,000 and was featured in 阿拉伯裔美国人新闻.
He said the reaction to the campaign has been “overwhelmingly positive.”
“It reinforced the idea that people really do care about other people they might not know,法拉吉说。.
“医学跨越国界”
Faraj said he fully expects some people to question making a donation to another country as the number of COVID-19 cases surge in the U.S.
然而, Faraj said he simply he views the effort as an extension of the Hippocratic Oath he recited at OUWB’s 2019年白大褂典礼.
“我说过, 作为一名医生, ‘I will remain a member of society with special obligations to all my fellow human beings,’”他说。. “That statement and the fact that medicine transcends borders is why helping any country or group in a crippling crisis or in need is always the sound and the humanitarian decision that a physician is expected to abide by.”
Hajj Hussein said she expects Faraj will get as much out of the experience of those the campaign helps in Lebanon.
“One of the most essential things that people need is connection,” said Hajj Husesin. “当你做志愿者时，你为别人提供了这种服务. Volunteerism will also help Majd build connections for himself with other members of the community, 汇集了不同背景和兴趣的人, 并能改善身心健康. In addition, volunteerism has been shown to have a higher rate of academic success.”
To donate to the 医疗 Relief to Lebanon campaign via GoFundMe, visit http://www.gofundme.com/f/medical-relief-to-lebanon
(这个故事已经更新. 最初的版本报15美元,000美元可以支付40美元的运费,价值1000美元的医疗用品. 实际数字是高达50万美元的物资.)
For more information, contact Andrew Dietderich, marketing writer, OUWB, at (电子邮件保护).
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