Seven-year-old Amina al-Hassouni, a Muslim girl from southern Israel, who suffered a serious head injury from an Iranian missile fragment about four months ago in the Arad area, was released on Sunday from Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva for rehabilitation.
Amina was initially taken to the trauma room in Soroka with a severe and complex head injury and her life was in danger.
A multi-disciplinary team stabilized her condition, and she underwent urgent neurosurgery to save her life. Due to her severe injury, she had to further undergo a series of neurosurgical operations, in collaboration with other departments at the medical center.
She was hospitalized for about two months in the pediatric Intensive Care Unit of the Saban Pediatric Medical Center and was sedated and on a breathing machine for a long time, with a multi-professional team treating her constantly and fighting for her life. After her condition finally improved and she regained consciousness, Amina was transferred to continue treatment in the pediatric ward of the medical center.
Dr. Mickey Gideon, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the Soroka Medical Center, and who operated on Amina during her prolonged hospitalization said: "Amina's head injury was severe, complex and alarming. At the same time, there was no doubt that we would fight for her life, and we are delighted that, with the combined efforts of all our teams, we succeeded in our mission. Seeing Amina fully conscious today as she communicates, smiles and is ready for the next step in her rehabilitation, fills our hearts with hope and strengthens us. From a personal point of view, as someone who emigrated from Iran as a youngster and is now treating Amina, who was hurt by the vicious Iranian attack, this is about coming full circle."
Dr. Isaac Lazar, Director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Soroka University Medical Center, added: "When Amina was admitted to the unit that Saturday night, it was hard to believe that the small and fragile girl actually survived her severe injury. Much thanks goes to the multi-professional team that treated her with great dedication and professionalism, but mostly thanks to Amina's strength, her desire to live and recover, and her family members, who never left her bed side during the long and difficult days of hospitalization. We were delighted to see Amina recover and get stronger until today, when she is moving to the rehabilitation ward. Amina, whose injury was so severe that we highly doubted whether she would survive, taught us what a war for life is. Her mother, father and brother, who did not give up, stayed with her day and night and continued to talk, hug and demand from her that she get better, got Amina back. I feel great pride in being part of Soroka's multi-professional team that significantly contributed to Amina's recovery and to her embarking on a new path of rehabilitation. All of us in the pediatric intensive care unit wish her and her family good health and success in the future."