The Bay Area Project of NMV to bring 2-year-old Mustafa Ghazwan here for medical treatment is really underway. Doctors at UCSF have agreed to provide the surgery to implant a cochlear device so that Mustafa’s hearing can be restored. He lost all hearing due to a U.S. bomb explosion near his home. In addition to the pro bono services offered by the surgeon and the anesthesiologist, the UCSF doctors have contacted the manufacturer of the cochlear implant, and this company has offered to provide this $27,000 device at no cost. Ronald McDonald House in San Francisco has agreed to provide housing for Mustafa and his father during their expected 4-5 month stay, which may begin as early as July 2008.

The community, with the help of members of the Ruth Group and the Iraq Action Group at UCSF, is now working to find speech therapists who can help in the therapy needed after Mustafa’s surgery. We are also looking for Arabic speakers who can help in translation services during Mustafa’s stay in the Bay Area.

Fundraising has continued, via letter writing to friends and family and a benefit dinner that raised about $4,000. We recently reached our initial goal of $20,000 thanks to one very large donation of $11,200, and are continuing to raise funds to cover possible costs of speech therapy while Mustafa is in San Francisco.

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