Rhma-A Little Girl Needs Our Help

Michael Yon highlights in his dispatches from Iraq the heroism of the American military personnel in regards to not only supporting each other but for their humanity in interacting with the Iraqi people. One such story tugs on our heartstrings and despite the best efforts of the soldiers the miracle has not yet happened. They need our help to develop the political will sufficient to overcome impediments blocking a life saving surgery of a little girl, Rhma Taha Ahmed. She is five years old and will die a painful death if she does not receive a medical procedure. Read what Michael wrote here and here,

During one late-night sweep in Isla Zeral, Lt. Dan Kearney entered a house where a man asked for help with his five-year-old daughter. She is five years old and her name is Rhma Taha Ahmed and she is afraid of the soldiers, but the father asks the Americans to slow down and look at his daughter. Rhma hid her face while her dad showed her fingers and toes to Lt. Kearney. Her nails were receded and there was blood-blistering, her fingers and toes were tones of red and purple. SFC Joel Lundak called a medic who checked Rhma's vital signs and said she seemed to have a heart condition.

Her father produced papers from a doctor, medical records of a sort, and the interpreter said the documents reported that Rhma has an inoperable congenital heart defect. She will die slowly and painfully. Lt. Kearney calls for Captain Paul Carron, the B company commander, who looks at Rhma and decides to do something. As it happens, a journalist named Sandra Jontz was riding along with Deuce-Four on this mission, and Sandra decides to do something, too. She snaps pictures and takes notes.

Today is the day Sandra Jontz's story about little Rhma and her heart condition will hit the streets. While a scandal-starved media is about to feast on the 7-course "desecration of the Quran" meal, Sandra Jontz's story is quietly tucked inside the latest edition of the Stars & Stripes. Despite her story being nearly hidden from view, it gets enough spotlight to generate offers of real support. When the story and photos run, medical professionals from coast to coast in America jump on it, offering to fund or provide free treatment.

The good news prompts a return visit to Rhma's house from CPT Paul Carron and his Bravo Company men; only now, instead of being afraid of the soldiers, she is merely shy, and her mother says that when the soldiers are away, Rhma says, "The Americans are going to take care of me."

But all that political mumbo-jumbo means nothing to little Rhma. Major David Brown, an Army doctor for Deuce-Four, told me that if Rhma still has time, it's running out. Sooner or later, she'll reach a point, beyond which it will be too late to operate. While the clock ticks mercilessly driving her diseased heart muscle closer to failure, her visa paperwork is clogged in the system.

Little Rhma has no idea how many doctors and soldiers are working to help her. At different times, I observe teams of soldiers trying to figure out how to smooth over the bureaucratic snags that keep catching Rhma, preventing her from boarding an airplane to America. Captain Paul Carron writes a plea to Senator Elizabeth Dole. Everybody knows that the obstacles can be cleared if the plea lands in the right hands.

I wanted to give this update, along with an explanation about the fate of a very sick little Iraqi girl named Rhma, who is mentioned in Battle for Mosul III. As much as I would like to say that this little girl’s case has met a happy ending, so far that has not happened. After incredible amounts of work from soldiers in the Deuce Four, who had the assistance of civilians back home, our surgeon, Major David Brown, helped arrange for Rhma to get treatment in the United States.

This was the best news I had heard in a long time. Few people will ever know the terrific efforts that went into saving this little girl’s life.

Sadly, due to a snag in paperwork with US Immigration, a very sick child is stuck in Jordan. Her well being, possibly her life, is on hold over some trivial forms. It was as if she had been found and lifted by angels, only to be stopped and left to sit outside the gates while nameless guards check her ID card against the roster. The only thing certain is that without treatment Rhma will die.

This situation is untenable. I ask each and every reader to write a letter to your federal representatives imploring them to take action to insure Rhma can get to this country now! If you don’t want to write the letter, send a copy of this blog, make a call, but do something.

Update:
Here’s where you can send your message to the government asking them to issue a visa to Rhma. I suggest both the U.S. Embassy in Jordan (go here for the contact page) and go here for your federal representative.

Here’s a suggested message:

Gentlemen, (or fill in the name of your representative)

Rhma Taha Ahmed, a five year old Iraqi girl is dying of a painful congenital heart condition. American doctors have already stepped forward to provide her with a life saving procedure. Little Rhma is sitting somewhere in Jordan stymied from flying to the U.S. because of some visa problem.

You may learn more about her situation by visiting the web site of Michael Yon, an embedded author in Iraq: Michael Yon Online Magazine http://michaelyon.blogspot.com/2005/09/battle-for-mosul-iii-prelude.html
http://michaelyon.blogspot.com/2005/06/battle-for-mosul-part-iii.html

Please do all that you can do to immediately resolve this issue.

Sincerely,

Feel free to copy and use this sample message. Let’s make this mission of mercy work.

UPDATE: Thursday, 9/29/05
Rhma is on her way to the U.S. Read it here.