Message from the President
Dear partners and friends,
I am honored to present the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) annual report for 2014-2015, a year in which we provided critical medical and humanitarian relief to over 1.4 million vulnerable Syrians. In 2014 alone, we provided a record $13.8 million of vital assistance to Syrians, 70% of which came from direct public support like yours. To each and every SAMS supporter, I say thank you. Without your commitment, SAMS would not be able to work with local physicians and healthcare professionals to save Syrian lives, from the besieged families of Eastern Ghouta to the refugee communities in Al Zaatari Camp.
Every single day, the crisis in Syria is in my mind and close to my heart. The conflict has just entered its fifth year and has led to the worst humanitarian crisis of this generation- you have heard the staggering statistics of over 220,000 Syrians killed and more than half the population displaced. As UN Chief for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos has said, "Every time we use a new figure in relation to the Syrian crisis, we say that it is unprecedented. We have run out of words to fully explain the brutality of violence and callous disregard for human life which is a hallmark of this crisis."
I too have run out of words to describe the horror of watching a child die in front of me on the surgery table of an underground field hospital. I have run out of words to describe the pain in the voice of a physician as he recounts his close escape from a medical clinic destroyed by an airstrike, while his colleagues were not so lucky- over 615 health workers have been killed in Syria since 2011. I have run out of words to describe the collective suffering of Syria’s children, like young Omar, who I met three months ago on a visit to Aleppo.
Omar is in the second grade. In school, he was asked to draw a picture, and he drew a world on fire: helicopters dropping barrel bombs, his house in rubble, himself crying on his knees surrounded by his friends who were dead, dismembered, and bleeding. He drew what he came to know in Syria. I have run out of words to describe this type of trauma and suffering
And yet, despite the unthinkable violence and daily danger, our Syrian medical colleagues are the backbone of crisis response and relief, risking their lives to save others.
I could not be prouder to work with the SAMS-sponsored health workers in Syria who perform surgeries, provide vaccines, facilitate childbirth, respond to chemical attacks, and work to help heal the next generation of Syrian children. We support brave physicians like Mohamed Tennari, who works in a field hospital in Sarmin, Idlib that has had to be rebuilt four times following targeted attacks. Dr. Tennari worked on the front lines of response following the horrific chlorine attacks that began in Idlib in March 2015. He spoke about his experiences treating chemical exposure victims in front of the United Nations Security Council, and prompted their discussion about the need for accountability and attribution for these chlorine attacks. We support courageous staff in Aleppo like Dr. Abu Mohammadin, who is one of many who rebuilt our flagship trauma hospital underground to protect patients and staff from bombing. This hospital has been hit by air attacks numerous times over the last year, and yet staff and civilians have been largely protected by its underground infrastructure. We support doctors in the besieged areas of Eastern Ghouta as they work day and night to provide care to a population suffering from starvation, acute trauma injuries, infectious diseases, dehydration, and more. SAMS supports 60% of the healthcare in Eastern Ghouta- in addition to providing fuel, equipment, and health workers’ salaries, SAMS has pioneered the use of telemedicine as an innovative response to the needs of the besieged population and lack of specialized physicians.
It is the courage and humility of these health workers that motivates me to ensure that SAMS continues to grow in scope and ability. With your support, SAMS has transformed from a small, member-based professional organization to one of the leading medical relief and advocacy organizations involved in the Syria crisis. SAMS has impacted the lives of countless Syrians through its programming inside Syria and in its neighboring refugee-host countries. In only four years, our budget grew from $100,000 to $15 million annually and our staff from one to 60 in five different countries. Our chapters grew from two to 16, our members from 150 to over 515, and our donor base grew from 60 to almost 5,000. Our presence on social media has grown to over 70,000 Facebook followers and almost 3,000 twitter followers. SAMS had a significant presence in the media this year, with coverage from major media outlets like the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, NBC, and many more. SAMS has spearheaded Syria humanitarian advocacy at the national and international levels, tangibly influencing policies impacting Syrian refugees, healthcare professionals, humanitarian aid, access, and civilian protection.
Our work has never been more important. Let’s continue our crucial medial efforts and stand with our brave Syrian colleagues to show them that they are not alone. Let’s show young Omar that he is not alone.
On behalf of everyone at the Syrian American Medical Society, thank you. Your support, your voice, and your contributions have helped us do what we do best: impact the health and lives of millions of Syrians.
Sincerely
Dr. Mohammed Zaher Sahloul
President, Syrian American Medical Society