Noel Goriel

Age: 12
Diagnosis: Corneal keratopathy and squint.
Place of origin: Iraq
Story:

Noel Goriel is a 12 years old child from Baghdad, Iraq who was born with a left eye Kerotopathy and esotropia (squint). Due to the dire situation in Iraq, he never got a chance to receive a proper treatment. Several attempts were made through the NIAC in Baghdad, to help but no sponsor was ever found. The child became depressed as kids at school made fun of him.

Dr. Victoria Jacobs, a former employee of the NIAC approached the Assyrian Medical Society for help. Arrangements were made and the child was taken to Amman, Jordan where he was evaluated by Dr. Ibrahim Asseidat, a Pediatric Ophthalmologist, who recommended a squint surgery as a first stage operation with the possibility of a corneal graft.

A corneal graft was secured through the generous donation of the North Carolina Eye Bank (Almost $4,000 on commercial bases) and was shipped free of charge to Jordan in 3 days! It turned out that the results were excellent with the squint surgery alone followed by the application of contact lenses.

The Assyrian Medical Society has donated the cornea to the Jordanian Eye bank to be implanted into the first poor Jordanian patient who could not afford this graft. We were assured that the cornea is already set for a good use in Amman. The child and his mother are back in Baghdad, Iraq.

Thanks to all involved, we were able to bring the smile to his child’s face.