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Iraqi Girl Burned in Bombing Campaign Brought to U.S. for Treatment
Aired May 07, 2003 - 15:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Six weeks ago Hannan Ahmed was burned badly during the bombing of Baghdad. An oil lamp toppled onto her causing serious injuries. Many took up her case so the girl is now in the U.S. for treatment. ITN reporter Tim Rogers has more on the first Iraqi war victim to be treated in America and what it took to get her to this country.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TIM ROGERS, ITN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She is the first in America, and now with a chance of recovery, Hannan has found her safe haven.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome, Hannan.
HANNAN AHMED, IRAQI PATIENT: Hello.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm Dr. Terry (ph). I want to say hi. Welcome to America.
ROGERS: She is her here with her mother because of the extraordinary determination because of those who made it happen, eventually persuading the Pentagon, the American government and General Tommy Franks, the commander in chief of the coalition forces, to let her come.
I met Hannan at Frankfurt Airport as she prepared for the second stage of her journey. By now she'd been traveling 24 hours. She'd been given an Army escort out of Baghdad, accompanying her here from Kuwait. But exhaustion was offset by relief and the ultimate goal ahead.
Without passports or any means of getting out, Hannan and her mother were given humanitarian parole, special permission to enter the United States. Since she was burned, her condition has stabilized. But without the treatment she needs, she lives in constant pain.
Arriving in Detroit, this was almost the end of her journey. And from where she was taken to one of the finest burns units in the country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's find out how the tube is. Is it bothering the back of her throat?
ROGERS: Dr. Paul Terry (ph) at the University of Michigan was one of those determined to bring Hannan in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is certainly a distinctual response not only by myself but by other members of the team. And when I discussed this with the leadership of the hospital and the health system, they were all supportive. And nobody even thought about saying no. Everybody said yes right instantaneously.
ROGERS: From the moment she arrived, the treatment began. Watching all this, Hannan's mother, grateful to America, despite the fact that it was the blast from an American bomb that caused her daughter's injury.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We (UNINTELLIGIBLE) just that it's true. But at the same time they're the people that are helping us at the same time. Not only that it was the bombing from the United States, but they helped us also. They brought us here to treat my daughter.
ROGERS: The days ahead will change her life.
(on camera): What Hannan has found is an opportunity that simply wouldn't exist in Iraq, where it would be impossible to find the sterile conditions that she needs.
(voice-over): Ahead is a course of treatment that will be long, difficult and sometimes painful. But now, at least, she has hope.
Tim Rogers, ITV News, at the University of Michigan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: We wish her well as she recovers.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Treatment>
Aired May 7, 2003 - 15:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Six weeks ago Hannan Ahmed was burned badly during the bombing of Baghdad. An oil lamp toppled onto her causing serious injuries. Many took up her case so the girl is now in the U.S. for treatment. ITN reporter Tim Rogers has more on the first Iraqi war victim to be treated in America and what it took to get her to this country.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TIM ROGERS, ITN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She is the first in America, and now with a chance of recovery, Hannan has found her safe haven.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome, Hannan.
HANNAN AHMED, IRAQI PATIENT: Hello.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm Dr. Terry (ph). I want to say hi. Welcome to America.
ROGERS: She is her here with her mother because of the extraordinary determination because of those who made it happen, eventually persuading the Pentagon, the American government and General Tommy Franks, the commander in chief of the coalition forces, to let her come.
I met Hannan at Frankfurt Airport as she prepared for the second stage of her journey. By now she'd been traveling 24 hours. She'd been given an Army escort out of Baghdad, accompanying her here from Kuwait. But exhaustion was offset by relief and the ultimate goal ahead.
Without passports or any means of getting out, Hannan and her mother were given humanitarian parole, special permission to enter the United States. Since she was burned, her condition has stabilized. But without the treatment she needs, she lives in constant pain.
Arriving in Detroit, this was almost the end of her journey. And from where she was taken to one of the finest burns units in the country.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's find out how the tube is. Is it bothering the back of her throat?
ROGERS: Dr. Paul Terry (ph) at the University of Michigan was one of those determined to bring Hannan in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is certainly a distinctual response not only by myself but by other members of the team. And when I discussed this with the leadership of the hospital and the health system, they were all supportive. And nobody even thought about saying no. Everybody said yes right instantaneously.
ROGERS: From the moment she arrived, the treatment began. Watching all this, Hannan's mother, grateful to America, despite the fact that it was the blast from an American bomb that caused her daughter's injury.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We (UNINTELLIGIBLE) just that it's true. But at the same time they're the people that are helping us at the same time. Not only that it was the bombing from the United States, but they helped us also. They brought us here to treat my daughter.
ROGERS: The days ahead will change her life.
(on camera): What Hannan has found is an opportunity that simply wouldn't exist in Iraq, where it would be impossible to find the sterile conditions that she needs.
(voice-over): Ahead is a course of treatment that will be long, difficult and sometimes painful. But now, at least, she has hope.
Tim Rogers, ITV News, at the University of Michigan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: We wish her well as she recovers.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Treatment>
