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DEL.ICIO.USTroops seek to aid Iraqi girl with spina bifida
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Abu Ghraib, Iraq — First Lt. Jeff Morgan watched with concern as Soad Jaffar al-Hasan cradled her precious baby girl, the mother’s smile masking the inevitable.
Morgan, a single father of five from Douglas County, knew that in a few months, possibly weeks, Noor, al-Hassan’s firstborn, would succumb to a birth defect.
“If no one helps us, the baby will die,” Noor’s grandmother, Iman Sami Abbas, told visiting soldiers with the Georgia Army National Guard.
Noor, whose name means light in Arabic, was born with a severe form of spina bifida. Iraqi doctors lack the resources to treat her. They sent her family home, telling them the baby had 45 days at most to live. Barring a miracle, the light in their lives would go out.
Noor beat the odds and will be 3 months old Friday. Her time, though, is running out. No one is sure how long she will live in her condition.
But Noor’s family might get the miracle they have dreamed of, thanks to soldiers from the 48th Brigade Combat Team’s 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment.
Morgan has been furiously e-mailing friends and contacts in Atlanta to get help for Noor. Now, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has stepped forward and is offering to treat the child.
Jennifer Sinclair, a Children’s Healthcare spokeswoman, said one of the hospital’s neurosurgeons, Dr. Roger Hudgins, had agreed to perform the surgery at no cost to the family once the child arrived in Atlanta and was evaluated.
Noor was found earlier this month during a raid seeking insurgents in an area of Abu Ghraib known as 1 March by soldiers from the 1st Battalion’s Charlie Company, based in Gainesville.
They could not forget the tiny girl with wisps of black hair and big brown eyes. When they learned Noor’s life could be saved back home in America, they set out to find a way to get her out of Iraq for medical care.
“I think every child deserves a chance,” said Morgan, a Douglas County engineering inspector. “The whole company is focused on getting her help. It means as much to the soldiers here as it does for the parents.”
In U.S., she would survive
For Charlie Company, saving Noor has been a heart-warming distraction this Christmas season from the routine of daily patrols in the treacherous neighborhoods of Abu Ghraib district, just west of Baghdad.
Morgan, 40, who carries his children’s photos in his wallet, said: “It’s a chance to help a kid. Who knows? She could grow up to be president of Iraq one day.”
Morgan said he thought of his own five when he first saw a photo of Noor taken by a soldier during the raid. He thought about how he would feel if his daughter had been born with such a debilitating deformity. He thought how lucky he was that in the United States, doctors would be able to treat his daughter and give her a chance at normalcy.
But in the trash-strewn, sewage-infested slums of impoverished Abu Ghraib, few children receive basic medical attention such as vaccinations, much less the kind of intensive care Noor needs.
Morgan took a military doctor to visit Noor, called Baby Nora by the soldiers. The doctor determined that she was born with spina bifida, an open spine. In the early stages of her mother’s pregnancy, Noor’s spinal cord did not fully close, leaving a gap where a cyst-like growth the size of a baseball now sits on Noor’s back.
“She doesn’t have a chance here. She will definitely die,” said the American military doctor, who is not authorized to treat patients outside the bases and did not want to be identified.
The March of Dimes Web site says one of every 2,000 babies born in the United States has spina bifida. But it is easily treatable with proper prenatal care, or postnatal surgery.
In her mother’s arms, Noor looked perfectly healthy. But she cannot feel it when someone tickles her feet. Spina bifida often results in paralysis of the legs.
Noor tried but could not follow a moving finger with her eyes. The military doctor who examined her said Noor showed signs of developmental delay. Typically in spina bifida cases, the doctor said, fluid begins to build up around the brain and eventually causes severe neurological damage.
“Often, when babies are born like this, they don’t survive,” the doctor said. “In the States, we would have done in-utero surgery, or we would have done surgery on the first day.”
With time, damage grows
The doctor said that if Noor could get surgery fairly soon she would have a chance at a productive life. But the more time that passes, the less likely it is that Noor will be able to survive.
“I wanted to help her in any way I could,” said the doctor, a mother separated from her own children. She wrote up a diagnosis that Morgan sent back to Atlanta in an effort to solicit help.
“I go out and see the kids here — actually it’s kind of selfish,” she said. “At least I get to hold a child.”
Morgan also has been writing to church groups in the Atlanta area, pleading for help. So far he has contacted the Southern Baptist Convention and two churches in Douglasville that he has attended.
One — Shepherd of the Hills United Methodist Church — is trying to set up a charitable fund to help Noor.
“It is a way for our congregation to get connected with Iraq,” said Adam Roberts, the pastor. “This definitely gives folks a hands-on way to respond. This is just good through and through.”
Visas coming, but when?
Morgan said the Marriott hotel group was willing to donate living space for the girl and an accompanying relative. Delta Air Lines has agreed to fly the child and one relative from Kuwait to Atlanta through its charitable Sky Wish program.
And Childspring International, an Atlanta nonprofit that matches sick children from other countries with doctors in the United States, is working with Children’s Healthcare to arrange Noor’s medical care.
“We will work as hard as we can to make it happen,” said Rose Emily, executive director of Childspring. “I look forward to going to the airport and picking up this little girl.”
But Morgan still has one major obstacle ahead — government clearance to bring Noor to the United States.
He said he contacted Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) for help in getting Noor out of Iraq.
AnnieLaurie Walters, a spokeswoman for Chambliss, said in an e-mail that the senator’s office was working on securing visas for the baby and her grandmother.
“I’m sure it’s going to happen,” Morgan said. “My problem is trying to make it happen fast. The doctor said the window is closing in on the time we have to prevent brain damage.”
Father would ‘do anything’
On a recent chilly night, Noor and her family were huddled around a kerosene heater in their living room when Charlie Company soldiers dropped by for a visit. Morgan needed additional information about the baby and wanted to look at her birth certificate.
“You promised me you would help,” said Abbas, the matriarch of the family, who runs a family grocery with her three sons.
“I’m working on it,” Morgan said through an interpreter, explaining all the contacts he had made in Atlanta.
“Who will go with the baby?” he asked.
“I will,” Abbas said, pointing to herself. “Only one person can go?”
“Yes,” Morgan said. “I will try and see if her father can go as well.”
Noor lay swathed in white cloth on her aunt Zainab’s lap. Silver earrings dangled from her pierced lobes. She could move her toes but did not respond to touch below her waist. Her aunt unwrapped the cloth and showed the American visitors the large pinkish growth on Noor’s back.
“The pregnancy was normal,” Abbas said. “This has been very sad for us. But the Americans brought us hope.”
“Will she be OK?” Abbas asked Morgan.
“If she gets treatment soon, she will grow up normal,” Morgan replied.
“I’ll do anything for her,” said Noor’s father, Haider Khalif, 23.
Capt. Anthony Fournier, 38, a schoolteacher from Augusta, said Noor gave his soldiers a chance at measurable success in the middle of an often perplexing guerrilla war.
“No one can question this,” Fournier said. “This is tangible.”
Staff Sgt. Darryl Clark, 40,
of Lula said Georgia soldiers want to feel a sense of accomplishment, that they did something to make a difference instead of “just riding around in circles in Baghdad.” Nothing would be better, he said, than to save Noor, especially now, at Christmas.
“If we do anything in this whole deployment, we’d like to make this happen,” he said.
Staff writer Jeremy Redmon in Atlanta and staff photographer Curtis Compton in Iraq contributed to this article.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Bobby Smith
December 22, 2005 11:15 AM | Link to this
Now this is a story John Kerry won’t tell: our “terrorist” soldiers moving heaven and earth to help a baby. My hat is off to the men and women of the 48th for helping and doing what they can for this girl and her family. What do you think the response would be if the national media would run this story rather than the bad news from Iraq that dominates their coverage? The courage and decency of the American Soldier never fails to amaze me. Good luck and Godspeed!
Bobby Smith Macon, Ga.
By Kat Orr
December 22, 2005 09:22 PM | Link to this
Dear 48th…. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again (and again) ~ I am SO DANG PROUD of each and every one of y’all!!! THANK YOU for all you do… we truly appreicate you and love you all!
Hang in there… we are holding you close to our hearts and in our prayers always.
By A Caring Citizen
December 23, 2005 12:16 AM | Link to this
I hope the US State Department will speed the issuance of the visa for this child and a parent to come into this country for her to receive the medical care she needs. Surely someone at State will act before the Christmas/New Years holidays. It appears all other obstacles have been cleared at no expense to the Government and now it is up to a Government representative to make it happen. It is humane actions like this that will win the Iraqi people as staunch allies to this country and the citizens of the US. It shows them the citizens of the United States are caring people who will help whenever possible.
God bless each of our American soldiers and all those who help them and bless this child with her chance for life.
Merry Christmas to all our Military who are on duty anywhere. May you all be home before the next celebration of our Lord Jesus Christ’s birthday and remain at home in peace. You are admired and loved - you Warriors are our Heroes. Thank you for your service to our Nation.
By Delores
December 24, 2005 05:16 PM | Link to this
Well guess what Bobby, I just saw this story on CNN. I find your reference to John Kerry offensive. Believe it or not, even Democrats can have compassion for those less fortunate. This Progressive Democrat Mom of a 48th soldier hopes that the soldiers are successful in bringing baby Noor to Atlanta for treatment.
By LT Ray
December 24, 2005 07:42 PM | Link to this
I’m glad to see LT Morgan in Iraq. Morgan overcame quite a lot himself just to be here. If anyone can pull this off, LT Morgan can. To suggest another route of care for this child. We at the 108th AR, had a case of an infant with hydrocephalus. We found it easier simply to raise the money and deliver the child to a neurosugeon in Baghdad. Considering the cost and the hassle, it was the better solution for us.
Unfortunately, the lack of prenatal care in Iraq has led to a much higher rate of spina bifida. I’ve seen more cases in 5 months in Iraq, than I have in years of medicine in the U.S.
your doing great things Jeff.
Lt Ray
By REGINA
December 25, 2005 07:33 PM | Link to this
CHARLIE COMPANY 1/121 IM VERY THANK FOR MY SON TO BE IN YOUR UNIT. YOUR PRAYERS ARE BEING ANSWERED. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. THANKS AND MANY. THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR. GOOD NEWS. SGT SPEEGLE MOM LOVES AND MISSES YOU VERY MUCH.
By Melissa Lopez
December 27, 2005 08:55 PM | Link to this
… [regarding] 1LT Jeff Morgan, of the Georgia National Guard, attempt to obtain sponsorship for an Iraqi child, needing surgery. LT Morgan states he feels that if the only contribution he can make to the War on Terror, is to help save this child, he needs to resign his rank, move out and join the Peace Corps. The War in Iraq, is not a Humanitarian Aid mission, let the Christian Childrens Fund, and organizations voluntarily funded, help save the world. LT Morgan needs to regain his bearings on the US Army’s mission in Iraq, and lead his troops from the front, not the rear, compassion, and empathy for the enemy= get’s our troops killed.
My opinion may differ from the soft-hearted American’s seeing the face of an innocent child in Iraq- Please keep in mind the faces of children, whose parents will not be returning home tonight, the Soldiers child.
Please post as widely as possible. LIVE AMERICAN
Melissa Ann Lopez
By Suzanne Gruwell
December 28, 2005 01:52 AM | Link to this
I am so proud of you!!!! You are doing a wonderful thing helping Noor. I have a child with Spina Bifida and he is very special. These children have the sweetest spirits. Thanks for serving our country!!
By Marie
December 28, 2005 10:02 AM | Link to this
Melissa Ann Lopez, Since when did the average Iraqi citizen become our “enemy.” Since when did an infant with Spina Bifida become our “enemy”. You are the exact kind of “American” that gives our country a bad reputation around the world. I am quite sure if it was YOUR child you would feel differently. … How dare you tell 1LT Jeff Morgan how to do his job. Your ignorance is surpassed only by your cruelty. … No one is going to argue the pain of a child in America that has lost a parent in Iraq but your kind of attitude is exactly what will cause our troops to face more danger by alienating the general population. However would you know about charities? There is obviously not a charitable bone in your body. You should be ashamed of yourself. I am ashamed that you are ostensibly an American.
By Mark Grodzicki
December 28, 2005 12:24 PM | Link to this
I heard about this story on my local news in Southwick Massachusetts and have to say it is very heart-warming to say the least. I am a 29 year old man living with Spina Bifida—albeit a very mild form. My doctors gave me 2-3 years to live, but I won’t give up ever. My Spina Bifida is the reason I can’t be out there helping the rest of the country do wonderful things like this and defending our freedom, so I have to do what I can to support those like First Lt. Jeff Morgan because without men like him and the rest of our Troops, I could not be enjoying the life I live today. God Bless, and Happy New Year.
By Jenni
December 28, 2005 01:45 PM | Link to this
I am so proud of you LTCJ!!! It is the work of you, your men and others over there that give Melissa Lopez the freedom to say what she wants to! I love you and could not support you more!!! Please know that so many back home support you as well! God Bless You, your work, and the work of your men. I miss you!
Love, Jen (1st LT. Jeff Morgan’s girlfriend)
P.S. Hey Melissa…Jeff has 5 kids and I have 2 and we ALL support what he is doing and couldn’t be prouder!!!
By Aubrey, 1LT
December 28, 2005 02:23 PM | Link to this
I am an Army Officer recently returned from Iraq…Melissa Lopez, I did not fight for you. You are an abomination to me and a shameful excuse for an American. These children were never my enemy. …
By Marie
December 28, 2005 06:14 PM | Link to this
PS Melissa. ANN Lopez… Half of what you said was unintelligible. Get an education….please.
By Vincent Sampson
December 28, 2005 07:20 PM | Link to this
I am a 29 year old african-american male with spina bifida and also my potential to live was also slim until american doctors saved my life. Now I have accomplished and had an opportunity to do more things in life than most people. Hopefully this baby would be given the same opportunity for life.
By Charlie
December 29, 2005 02:26 AM | Link to this
One of the four key leadership responsibilities of an officer is to Protest Innocent Civilians. The day that the Lt doesnt do that is when he should resign Melisa. We dont win the war simply by showing the world our might - we win by showing what makes us right - we win by showing who we are.
And the day me being in the Army means I shouldnt do everything in my ability to help an innocent child, is the day I stop.
By Get Real, Lopez
December 29, 2005 12:51 PM | Link to this
Melissa Ann Lopez - what is the source of all your hatred??? I pray our Lord Jesus Christ will touch your heart. No baby is an enemy.
By Paul Kotas
December 30, 2005 11:15 PM | Link to this
God bless our troops. I can’t agree more with Charlie (and most other bloggers on this topic). This is my first blog. Ever. The responses are very reassuring to hear (except for Melissa’s). I think the enemy has to be dealt with…..and any child is not an enemy. Lt. Morgan is a hero in more ways than one. My prayers are for all our troops’ safety and for the peaceful Iraqi’s. The insurgents/terrorists are nothing but evil. We Americans are bettering the world wether the Libs like it or not. Sure, many will say “who are we to impose our way of life on ‘them’”. What person on this planet doesn’t want freedom and liberty? Iraqi’s, because they’re not “like us”? All people want freedom and liberty. I don’t care what nationality you are, freedom and liberty is a God given right.
Just my 2 cents.
Paul
By Kim Porter
January 3, 2006 12:00 PM | Link to this
My husband is in the US Air Force and we are stationed in England. I heard about this story from my mother who knows 1ST Lt. Jeff Morgan. I am so proud of him for taking is time to see a child in need and helping that child. Our military is not only over in Iraq fighting the war on terror, but also helping the innocent citizens. If only the Americans can actually see all the good things that the military is doing over there instead of the bad on the news. There are many children around the world in these poor countries that need help from us and just because an AMERICAN SOLDIER found that child does not mean he is on a humanitarian mission. Any person who has a loving and caring heart, would find any way possible to find help for innocent children who were not ask to be born the way they were. I hope everyone will pray for Melisa Lopez. Because that is not a true AMERICAN. PS. Jeff you are a good man. I thank God that there is people like you around. And for your girlfriend Jen you sound like a good girlfriend to support Jeff the way you do. May God Bless you both and your children.
By Jenni
January 3, 2006 11:29 PM | Link to this
To Kim Porter…thank you for your kind words about Jeff and me! I appreciate your support of Jeff. As you may or may not know, he recently had to endure a devastating situation in his life. When he first went over, I knew if anyone could overcome ANYTHING, Jeff COULD do it. When I first heard about Baby Noor, I believed in him from the getgo…NEVER once doubted him!!!
He is a WONDERFUL man and I plan to hold on to him as long as he will have me!!! I support him in EVERYTHING he does, is doing and will do…ALWAYS!!!
I hope that one day I get to meet you and your mother!
Jen (LTCJ’s girlfriend!)