Research taking off

This week has been much about getting ready for our major step; interviewing and data collection. Sarah, Hala and I had a good time doing mock interviews, making the long questionare fun and more importantly understandable when asked to the mothers of patients we have already started interviewing.

Making a ton of phone calls, reading literature reviews and getting paper work ready will pay off next week when we start our quest to meet the kind mothers and interview them. I personally am looking forward to traveling to Jenin and Hebron to do the research. We also will be holding interviews at the PCS center in Ramallah, and I will be holding a few in Nablus as well. Next week is not only it going to -hopefully- be a productive week, but the amount of learning and great experiences we are going to have is rather exciting. I am looking forward to learning from these wonderful mothers who try to do anything and everything to help their children, and also to be of help for others by willing to participate in our research. 

Onwards we go.

The next step of the internship is now in progress. Aside from what Sarah has talked about regarding the research, we will be organizing different events in the PCS center in Ramallah. We are almost ready for the research part of interviewing mothers of patients with cleft. The research will be held in Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin and Hebron. This is very exciting because aside from interviewing and conducting research, visiting home cities and getting to see more of this beautiful country is very thrilling.

I am looking forward to organizing and holding events which I am currently planning. I am focusing on holding workshops for the mothers to learn about different ways of reaching out and using the available resources they have but might not be aware of.  I also hope to be able to have events for the children to come in and have a few activities. Face paint, prizes, games and playing with each other would be what an event would look like.

I aim to provide a support network for the mothers through the workshops, enabling them to express themselves and reach out for recourses. As for the kids, we aim to provide them with a space where they meet other kids their age with similar experience, allowing a support network to be built. 

Internship Part II: Research

Now that the surgeries in Ramallah (and the mission itself) have ended, the focus is research. I have learned that it is very important because it keeps the PCS thriving. Muna (the other intern) and I will be conducting research with Dr. Hala Borno. My responsibility as a researcher will be conducting interviews, collect data, and creatively incorporate my ideas about how the PCS can be involved with families, besides screenings and surgeries, who have children with cleft palate and/or cleft lip. I look forward to meeting families from all over Palestine and still continue doing the remarkable work that the surgeons have done, but in a different way.

More than an Internship

As the mission in Ramallah comes to close, I have been extremely humbled by the work all of the teams have done. To see the care that has been given to every single patient (surgery or not) makes me undeniably proud to work with the PCS. As I am stationed in Ramallah, I've talked and screened with families from all over Palestine. It is amazing to see how far the society reaches out to. I've thoroughly enjoyed my time working with the Ramallah team. Though it was quite stressful at times in the hospital and center, I cannot have asked for anything more than the people I met, worked with, and helped.

The time I spent in the Kuwaiti Hospital in Ramallah is an experience I will never forget. Physically being in the O.R. and watching the doctors and local nurses perform complex surgeries with such ease is remarkable! The O.R. was a new experience for me and it has definitely confirmed my aspirations of becoming a doctor. Though there were only two days of surgery in Ramallah, the surgical team and I became good friends and worked well with each other. Relationships like this is what makes the PCS do the extraordinary work that it does. Everybody, whether in Hebron, Nablus, or Ramallah, worked very hard and well together and formed a mini-family. Family is always there for you and the PCS family is always there for Palestine.

Left to Right: Dr. Wael AlHalaby, Dr. John van Aalst, Dr. Mahdi Shkoukani

At the closure of the Hebron and Nablus missions, all teams were invited to have dinner with the Minister of Health for Palestine. It was a night filled with great food, good company, and a chance for everyone involved with the PCS to bid their farewells to each other. Speeches were given by doctors, officials, Dr. John van Aalst, and the Minister himself. All speeches were heart-felt and appreciated by all. It was a joy to see all the teams together discussing their experiences at their respective team sights. 

Minister of Health giving his speech

Seeing all of this makes me realize how much a small group of people can make the largest impact on children's lives. I am so happy that I was given a chance to help the Palestinian children. I look forward to completing the second part of the internship and that is research with Dr. Hala Borno and Muna Aghaalnemer (the other intern). I will never forget these experiences and the priceless things I've learned from patients, families, and the Palestinian Cleft Society. I hope to continue working with the Palestinian people and the PCS in the future.

View from the Palestinian Cleft Society Center (Al-Bierah)