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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Dr. Zafar Khan
Aired August 10, 2003 - 07:31 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Before Abbas makes the journey to Canada, he's spending the next few months a rehabilitation hospital in London. And while there, Abbas will get new arms.
Dr. Khan flew with Abbas from Kuwait to London. He is the chairman of the Limbless Association, which is a support group for amputees. And he joins us live this morning.
Good morning.
ZAFAR KHAN, LIMBLESS ASSN.: Good morning.
COSTELLO: You've met Ali. This kid has been through so much. How is he doing psychologically?
KHAN: Considering like you said, considering that he has gone through so much, he's still quite alert. And he's very happy child. He's now a young man, really, as far as his intellectual capabilities is concerned.
And he's -- he asked the right kind of questions. And since he has come to London, he's quite happy.
COSTELLO: You know, I was just wondering, you know, when I asked how he's doing psychologically, his parents his gone. And he's dealing with the loss of his arms. It's difficult to believe that he's just completely happy. How are people helping him get over the loss of his family and in knowing that he may never go back to Iraq now?
KHAN: I think people are -- certainly the Limbless Association and the people around him here now in London are providing all kinds of support and help. He's relaxed. You're quite right, he's not completely happy. Obviously, he has suffered a great loss, a loss which is very difficult to forget.
But under the circumstances, he's relaxed. He's sort of addressing the life he has got before him now. And I might like to add that when I went to see him first in Kuwait two months ago, he saw my prosthetic leg and then he drawn some comfort from the fact that there is a life, even after losing an arm.
So doctors told me in Kuwait after that, that he was fairly relaxed and he had a hope. And he's being helped quite -- yes?
COSTELLO: There are many different types of prosthetic arms out there. Did you show them the different types? Will he be able to choose for himself?
KHAN: Yes. I showed him, when I went two months ago, to Kuwait, three different kinds of prosthetic limb -- arms. One was a cosmetic one. Not very functional, but looks almost as good as normal one.
The other extreme was -- is the electronic one, where muscle -- electrical changes are picked up and the hand movement take place. Slightly heavier. And the third one is the mechanical one. It's operated by mechanical movement of the shoulder. And -- but slightly lighter one.
COSTELLO: Tell us...
KHAN: Doctors are...
COSTELLO: ...how proficient he may be, because I know his dream is to play soccer again?
KHAN: Yes, in fact, he can run around. And he was showing a little bit of his skill playing soccer when he arrived in London in the back garden. I don't know how much he can really get into playing very soccer, but I'm sure he can try -- he can run with his legs. So I think he should be able to play.
COSTELLO: I hope so. One last question for you. How does he feel about Americans?
KHAN: Well, he -- I think he's got -- he's very grateful to British that they have extended the help. He doesn't really feel bitter about. You know, he said that although his family and himself has suffered losses because of American and British coalition attack on his house and his family, but he's, you know, he's said about British that he's very grateful to British, love which he has received and the welcome which he has received. So he's not really all that bitter, despite what has happened to him.
COSTELLO: I'm sure many Americans will feel much better -- yes. Thank you so much, Dr. Khan, joining us live from London this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 10, 2003 - 07:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Before Abbas makes the journey to Canada, he's spending the next few months a rehabilitation hospital in London. And while there, Abbas will get new arms.
Dr. Khan flew with Abbas from Kuwait to London. He is the chairman of the Limbless Association, which is a support group for amputees. And he joins us live this morning.
Good morning.
ZAFAR KHAN, LIMBLESS ASSN.: Good morning.
COSTELLO: You've met Ali. This kid has been through so much. How is he doing psychologically?
KHAN: Considering like you said, considering that he has gone through so much, he's still quite alert. And he's very happy child. He's now a young man, really, as far as his intellectual capabilities is concerned.
And he's -- he asked the right kind of questions. And since he has come to London, he's quite happy.
COSTELLO: You know, I was just wondering, you know, when I asked how he's doing psychologically, his parents his gone. And he's dealing with the loss of his arms. It's difficult to believe that he's just completely happy. How are people helping him get over the loss of his family and in knowing that he may never go back to Iraq now?
KHAN: I think people are -- certainly the Limbless Association and the people around him here now in London are providing all kinds of support and help. He's relaxed. You're quite right, he's not completely happy. Obviously, he has suffered a great loss, a loss which is very difficult to forget.
But under the circumstances, he's relaxed. He's sort of addressing the life he has got before him now. And I might like to add that when I went to see him first in Kuwait two months ago, he saw my prosthetic leg and then he drawn some comfort from the fact that there is a life, even after losing an arm.
So doctors told me in Kuwait after that, that he was fairly relaxed and he had a hope. And he's being helped quite -- yes?
COSTELLO: There are many different types of prosthetic arms out there. Did you show them the different types? Will he be able to choose for himself?
KHAN: Yes. I showed him, when I went two months ago, to Kuwait, three different kinds of prosthetic limb -- arms. One was a cosmetic one. Not very functional, but looks almost as good as normal one.
The other extreme was -- is the electronic one, where muscle -- electrical changes are picked up and the hand movement take place. Slightly heavier. And the third one is the mechanical one. It's operated by mechanical movement of the shoulder. And -- but slightly lighter one.
COSTELLO: Tell us...
KHAN: Doctors are...
COSTELLO: ...how proficient he may be, because I know his dream is to play soccer again?
KHAN: Yes, in fact, he can run around. And he was showing a little bit of his skill playing soccer when he arrived in London in the back garden. I don't know how much he can really get into playing very soccer, but I'm sure he can try -- he can run with his legs. So I think he should be able to play.
COSTELLO: I hope so. One last question for you. How does he feel about Americans?
KHAN: Well, he -- I think he's got -- he's very grateful to British that they have extended the help. He doesn't really feel bitter about. You know, he said that although his family and himself has suffered losses because of American and British coalition attack on his house and his family, but he's, you know, he's said about British that he's very grateful to British, love which he has received and the welcome which he has received. So he's not really all that bitter, despite what has happened to him.
COSTELLO: I'm sure many Americans will feel much better -- yes. Thank you so much, Dr. Khan, joining us live from London this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
