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 Zahraa Qusay Abdulkadhim Al-Saadi was discharged from Kimball Medical Center after undergoing a delicate surgery to internalize her bladder, which had formed on the outside of her body since birth. Wheeling Zahraa from the hospital are pediatric nurses Lisa McNally, RN, Tracy Seda, RN and Lisa Schlesinger, BSN, RN, administrative director of Maternal/Child.
For Zahraa Qusay Abdulkadhim Al Saadi, a trip to the United States with her mother from their home country of Iraq was the culmination of a dream her father had – to correct a condition Zahraa had lived with since birth, and restore normalcy in the 10-year-old’s life.
Arriving in this country several weeks ago with the help of the Palestinian Children’s Relief, Zahraa was here to meet two special doctors – Vance Moss, MD and Vince Moss, MD, twin brothers and surgeons who would ultimately make a profound impact on her health and well being.
On July 17, the surgeons performed an intricate procedure at Kimball Medical Center in Lakewood on Zahraa who was born with bladder exstrophy – meaning her bladder formed on the outside of her body. During the delicate surgery, Dr. Vance Moss, assisted by his brother, internalized Zahraa’s bladder and connected it to a small hole (a “second belly button”) where she will learn to catheterize herself through the new hole to drain urine.
Dr. Vance Moss called the surgery a complete success. Zahraa will no longer leak urine from the outside of her body will be able to regain and live a completely normal life. He added that her internal organs are healthy and he believes Zahraa will be able to have children.
Both Vance and Vince Moss are officers in the U.S. Army and had met Zahraa’s father while they were in Iraq on duty where he pleaded with the physicians to help his daughter. Unable to perform the surgery in Iraq, Vance and Vince worked with the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund to bring Zahraa and her mom to the United States. Unfortunately, Zahraa’s father was not able to realize his greatest wish for Zahraa, as he was killed in a roadside bombing one year ago this week.
Both Vince and Vance Moss said it was an incredible feeling to offer this girl the opportunity to live a normal life. They said they know her father can now rest in peace.
Date: July 25, 2008
CONTACT: Kristine A. Brown
Director of Public Relations
(732) 557-3902
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