From February 21 until March 9, 2020

My action as a Paediatrician:

How fortunate I have been to work in a team, to dialogue and to do good by pooling our knowledge for the good of the children.
Of course, I saw pathologies that are sometimes non-existent in our western countries. Illnesses that are not treated due to lack of means, lack of access to care. Nutritional and psycho-social deficiencies, addictions, abandonment, violence… But, above all, I remember the number of professional, caring and accessible people who know their field well and who have only one objective: to do good.
Even if often the means are limited, their know-how, sensitivity and ingenuity can sometimes work wonders.

And to conclude (or not…):

“We came, we saw each other, we had a good time and we conquered!?”
We came each with our own luggage, light-hearted and open-minded, ready to meet others.
We saw each other, recognizing our mutual desire to reach out to others and ready to receive them, to face the unknown…
We had a good time finding each other, helping each other to confront the unknown, to experience it, with all our body and mind…
We conquered.
What did we conquer?
Our fears of each other?
Our inner fears?
Our preconceived ideas?
Disease?
Which diseases?
I don’t claim to…
Diagnoses of pathologies, sometimes severe…
A life capital that evaporates…
Agreeing to do nothing, whereas we think we have the solution…
Humility, as our friend Florent used to say!
There is one thing for sure, we lived these 3 weeks with great intensity, reciprocally and sincerely, just like those who received us, with unimaginable confidence and generosity.
We laughed (Many thanks to Amir for his unlimited knowledge of jokes, plays on words, etc.). We cried. We chatted and lived together.
With different sensitivities and backgrounds, just like the children, we managed to build a tent in which we set up camp to try to do some good.
Who was caring for whom?
In my view, it was above all a massive human experience of mutual encounters. It’s hard to try to appreciate how much good we did for them, but one thing seems certain, we all had unforgettable moments.
We came home with suitcases full of beautiful images of life that transformed us.
I hope I was able to sow this little seed that is budding and turning into a flower in this huge meadow.

Dr Annett JAHANGARD – Paediatrician