Jordan : Zahra's story
Zahra, 7 months old little girl, is able to continue her life as a normal child
In 2013, during the Syrian conflict, Zahra’s family fled to Jordan. The scale of the conflict was immense, with unpredictable consequences. Living in their home city was unbearable because of generalized violence with a lot of bombing and shooting.
Zahra, 7 months old little girl, was born in a lovely Syrian family consists of 6 persons (3 girls, 1 boy and parents), and living in a very small apartment in an urban city in Jordan now. As Zahra’s father can’t find a job in Jordan, her mother is working as a cleaner in order to help the family financially.
During her pregnancy, Zahra’s mother benefited from the financial support of an NGO in order to deliver in a Hospital, in good conditions. The pregnancy and delivery went smoothly and easily.
After Zahra’s birth, the family noted that she was different from her siblings. She was always crying, not sleeping nor gaining weight. But no one in the family considered truly that she might have a problem.
Campaign for the early detection of cardiac and orthopedic pathologies in Jordan
On April 2019, Zahra’s family was called by Dr. Aziz Abu Azizeh, Early Detection Officer at La Chaîne de l’Espoir \ Jordan Office, in order to participate in a campaign organized by La Chaîne de l'Espoir at Al Maqased Charity Hospital in Amman. During the campaign, Zahra had a consultation with an orthopedic doctor and a pediatrician to detect orthopedic or cardiac anomalies. The pediatrician detected an anomaly in her heartbeats and diagnosed Zahra as congenital heart disease patient. Zahra was referred to Dr. Imad Khreisat, local cardiologist and partner of La Chaîne de l’Espoir. She was diagnosed with PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus) and needed a closed heart surgery.
Thanks to the pediatric cardiac surgery mission organized by La Chaîne de l’Espoir and funded by the European Union – Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid, Zahra was operated on by a Portuguese team led Pr. Manuel Antunes on September 2019. After 3 days, she recovered very well and now is able to continue her life as a normal child.
During Zahra’s hospital stay, the parents benefited from the psychosocial support services, especially the mother as she was having very high symptoms of anxiety because of Zahra disease and the surgery , so the PSS officer from La Chaîne l’Espoir did a full assessment sessions and in accordance with the mother they set clear goals in order to control anxiety and difficult feelings, and these goals have been achieved during 3 individual therapy sessions.
”Thanks God that there are medical missions in Jordan in order to save our child” Zahra mother said with tears in her eyes.
