“The day-to-day interaction with these children truly warmed my heart,” said Dr. Alzein. “This trip gave me a new perspective on life and the ability to be an advocate for those who are unable to advocate for themselves is priceless.”

Some examples of the types of medical concerns that were tended to while on this mission trip include cleft lips, cleft palates, kidney problems, aplastic anemia, Pyloric stenosis, 35 cases of Tonsillectomy and Adnoidectomy, cataracts, and over 10 cases of children’s strabismus surgeries. Dr. Atassi assisted with consultations, echocardiograms and treatments for various cardiac cases, including congenital heart disease, ischemic heart disease and congestive heart failure. He treated up to 35 cases while on the trip.

“It was a very humbling experience to be able to provide care for these individuals,” said Dr. Atassi. Drs. Alzein, Al-Khudari and Atassi worked with a medical team consisting of anesthesiologists and oncologists and were able not only to provide immediate medical care but also to provide screenings and perform surgery, when necessary. In addition to the many adult refugees that were taken care of on this trip by these three physicians, Dr. Alzein treated up to 25 children per day.

Dr. Al-Khudari cannot thank his Little Company of Mary family enough for their generous donation of sutures in support of this mission trip. This was the third medical mission trip for Dr. Al-Khudari. “I left feeling much more rewarded,” said Dr. Al-Khudari. “This mission trip reminded me that the smallest extra effort truly can make all the difference – It was very fulfilling for each physician.”

“On behalf of our administration as well as the Little Company of Mary Sisters we are very proud of the mission driven work done by these physicians,” said Mary Jo Quick, Vice President of Mission and Spirituality at LCMH. “Their passion for and commitment to service with compassion resonates with the Little Company of Mary Philosophy.”

Little Company of Mary Hospital and Health Care Centers (www.LCMH.org), is a Catholic, not-for-profit hospital based in Evergreen Park. For 85 years, Little Company of Mary has a rich history of providing the community with nationally recognized, high-quality care. Little Company of Mary continues to achieve accolades for quality, provides new medical advances and offers a convenient range of services to our community. For more information about Little Company of Mary, please visit www.LCMH.org.