Baby Fatemeh Reshad arrived in Portland, Oregon, early Tuesday morning and has been admitted to OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Physicians at OHSU Doernbecher are conducting a series of diagnostic studies and the early results are promising.
"Fatemeh looks well. Our tests this morning have confirmed her diagnosis and the urgent need for treatment,” said Laurie Armsby, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics and interim head, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital, OHSU School of Medicine. "As we suspected, her heart condition has resulted in injury to her lungs, however the studies today indicate that she has presented to us in time to reverse this process.”
Her treatment will begin with a cardiac catheterization, performed by Armsby, followed by a five- to six-hour surgical procedure performed by Irving Shen, M.D., head of the Division of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery at OHSU Doernbecher, OHSU School of Medicine, and a nationally accomplished expert on Fatemeh's condition.
Fatemeh's family, including her grandparents and uncle who live in Portland, Oregon, are deeply grateful for the outpouring of kindness and support they've received throughout their journey to the United States, and would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make their trip possible. The family would like to give special thanks to the congressional delegations and governors of Oregon and New York.
"This was truly a team effort to beat the clock, given the medical and legal hurdles Fatemeh was facing,” said Jennifer Morrissey, a Portland immigration attorney with Black Helterline LLP. Morrissey, DC immigration attorney Amber Murray, volunteer medical coordinator Mary Pao Seidenman, M.D., Ph.D., and the International Refugee Assistance Project in New York volunteered their services on behalf of the Reshad family. Morrissey and her colleagues have been instrumental in getting the family to Portland. The family recognizes the significant interest in their story and the media's thoughtful coverage, and they continue to appreciate their understanding that at this time, the family is focused on the health of Fatemeh. They intend to continue to provide periodic updates to media through OHSU's media relations department on the status of Fatemeh's care, as appropriate.
Source: OHSU news release