The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund is a not-for-profit and non-political organization which is concerned in addressing medical and humanitarian crisis facing youths in the Middle East. They provide free medical care to children who cannot get proper and necessary treatment in theisr homeland. I had the amazing opportunity to interview the Chairman and CEO of Palestine’s Children’s Relief Fund, Steve Sosebee. He provided me with information about PCRF and their programs which I hope you will all find inspiring and and enlightening.
1. What is the main goal of ‘Palestine Children’s Relief Fund’?
Our main focus to identify every child in need of specialized surgery in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Lebanon’s refugee camps and provide them the care that they need. We have a full staff of fieldworkers who are looking for and preparing these children for treatment once they are properly identified, either through our visiting surgery teams or sending them abroad for free care. Our other main goal is to upgrade the quality of specialized surgery for children in the areas I mentioned so that the local physicians are able to provide high-quality treatment without having to bring doctors in from outside or send kids abroad for care. Finally, we provide other forms of humanitarian aid and support for marginalized children on the ground in the Middle East, such as providing wheelchairs for handicapped children, sponsoring summer camps, and many other important programs. I should add that we also help children from Iraq get free care abroad.
2. Tell us about some of recent projects/initiatives that Palestine Children’s Relief Fund has completed.
We’ve sent nearly 50 volunteer surgery teams in pediatric cardiac surgery and cardiology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, orthopedics, maxillofacial surgery, pediatric urology, general surgery and many other specialties that are lacking locally since the beginning of 2009. Thousands of children have been treated through these missions. Our greatest achievement so far has been the creation of the first and only pediatric cardiac surgery unit in Palestine. Every year hundreds of children are born with congenital heart disease in Palestine and for years, the only hope for treatment was to go abroad for care. We started a program several years ago with a group of highly skilled international volunteers to come to and treat sick babies and train the local doctors. We built a 7-bed pediatric cardiac ICU, the first and only there, and now over 200 babies a year get life saving surgery through the unit.
3. On your website, I noticed that you have programs that target medical needs and the way of living of children in general. Tell us something about these programs. What do these programs involve? How has it made a difference?
By providing specialized surgery for children who otherwise would not get the care that they need locally can, in many cases, save lives. I mentioned above our pediatric cardiac surgery unit. Those children are born with heart defects and most of them would not grow up to live normal lives without the support of the PCRF and our doctors, as well as the local team working with us. For kids who have other medical needs that we address, such as children with cleft lip and palate deformities for example, it can be the difference between an operation that repairs a significant defect that effects their eating and nutrition, hence their growth and development. Each child is different, but we are focusing on specialized surgical needs, so most them have significant medical needs and our operations are almost always life-altering.
4. Our blog is not only committed to educating students about issues around the world, but also about encouraging students to find a passion and get involved. How can the youth get more involved in your cause? How and what can they do to support Palestine Children’s Relief Fund?
We are a grassroots organization and we depend on the support and goodwill of volunteers all over the world. For many students, getting involved with the PCRF enables them to have a personal experience with injured and needy children who we bring for treatment. Students have in the past raised money to help sponsor children and support other projects, as well as helping our kids with appointments and to assist in making their stay in the US as comfortable as possible.
5. Any other comments, experiences or words of wisdom you would like to share with our viewers?
It is a great honor and privilege to provide humanitarian aid and support for the children of Palestine during these extremely difficult days of siege, occupation and war. There are many ways to contribute to the cause of peace and justice, and this is my way.
Interview by Fydez Tan
Blog Writer 2009-2010, Change Tomorrow’s World
