Siblings Find Gift of Sight at Hermann Eye Center

It was a long-awaited turning point when, at three years of age, Khalifa Al-Romaithi could finally see his doctor’s hand to shake it.

Now six, Khalifa and his 4-year-old sister Mariam have been coming to the Hermann Eye Center twice a year since birth from their Middle Eastern homeland of the United Arab Emirates for diagnosis and treatment of a congenital hereditary disease requiring, among other procedures, multiple corneal transplants. Given the choice among a number of renowned medical facilities the world over, the children’s parents felt an immediate connection with Memorial Hermann when they began their quest for help.

"Our first impression was one of trust and confidence in what the Hermann Eye Center had to offer," Thani Al-Romaithi, the children’s father, said. "We are extremely happy with the results and feel there is hope for the future and that our children will lead a secure and full life."

Much of the confidence placed in Memorial Hermann is due to the support system offered by the hospital’s department of international affairs. Providing everything from case management to emotional support, the international program offers a complex network of services.

Communication among all parties is key, making the role of liaison an integral part of the international team’s duties – whether among the numerous physicians working on a case, or between the patients and their doctors. Not only do the international services include patient education, such as disease explanation, prevention, maintenance and medication management, but they also coordinate appointments, make hotel reservations, recommend city attractions and handle financial matters for those sponsored by embassies.

"We essentially become their family," case manager Mona Ghazal said. "You must remember that these patients and their families are already overwhelmed by the serious illnesses that bring them here and then bear the added stresses of being in a foreign land, often not even knowing the language."

Sometimes overlooked, yet often just as important, is the family’s role in the treatment and disease management processes. Ophthalmologist Dr. Richard W. Yee, the children’s primary physician, finds their mother’s astute, observant nature to be particularly helpful. She, in turn, credits the extensive patient education afforded to her by the Hermann staff about signs, symptoms, side effects and complications.

A group effort, the professional yet personal touch offered by the physicians, nurses, technicians, interpreters and staff of the hospital’s international affairs department have made the Al-Romaithi family very comfortable with their decision to continue at Memorial Hermann.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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