Global Medical Relief Fund To Treat 14 Year-Old Boy From Iraq - Home Depot, IKEA, Arch Diocese of New York Provide New Treatment Facility

A 14 year old Iraqi boy will be the first patient to be treated at The Global Medical Relief Fund's new facility in New York. The Fund assists children around the world who have been injured by war or natural disasters.

NEW YORK, (PRWEB) June 16, 2004 -- The Global Medical Relief Fund (GMRF), a non-profit organization whose mission is to assist children around the world who have been injured by war or natural disasters opens their new facility at Mount Loretto on Staten Island today. The facility was donated by the Archdiocese of New York, renovated by Home Depot and furnished by IKEA, the leading home furnishings retailer.

GMRF recently succeeded in bringing 14 year-old Iraqi Ali Ameer to the United States to be fitted for a prosthetic arm. Ali lost his arm during a bombing in the Iraq war and will be the first child to stay at Mount Loretto during his treatment.

"The success of our organization and the realization of our dream for Ali to have an arm is only possible because of the hard work and generous support of so many," said the organizations founder Elissa Montanti. "We hear so many tragic stories from the war; this is a story of generosity and diligence. I think it shows just how caring Americans really are."

Mount Loretto of the Archdiocese of New York donated space in an old convent to be converted into living space for the children and their guardians during their treatment. Home Depot and a team of nine IKEA co-workers donated labor and products. The IKEA furnishings and accessories for the bedrooms, living room, playroom, foyer, and bathrooms helped to transform the space into a warm, comfortable and inviting home away from home. The Philadelphia Shriners Hospital is donating all medical services and prosthetics until the child is 21 years of age.

We wanted to help make the renovated space feel warm and welcoming," said Janice Simonsen, IKEA U.S. Thats what IKEA is all about - we know that a comfortable well-designed home can have such a positive impact on your life and well being."

Elissa Montanti, the founder of GMRF, also worked closely with Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) to secure the necessary paperwork to bring Ali and his Aunt from Iraq. Ali had no passport and there is no U.S. embassy in Iraq so it wasn't easy. "It took us eleven months, but he's finally here," said Ms. Montanti.

Since 1997, GMRF has helped more than twenty-five children from Bosnia, Mexico, Kuwait and now Iraq, but there are literally hundreds more that have requested treatment. Founder Montanti insists, "Even if its one kid at a time, we have to keep doing this. We can make a difference."

The GMRF reaches out both locally and worldwide in search of children in desperate need, with little or no resources to better their condition. They prepare necessary travel documents for both child and guardian, and arrange transportation to the United States, where candidates are fitted with prosthetic limbs and receive medical and/or surgical care. They also provide room and board for the duration of convalescence.

Since 1926, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Philadelphia has been providing excellence in service at no cost to children and adolescents.

Since its founding in 1943, Sweden-based IKEA, http://www.ikea-usa.com, has offered a wide range of home furnishings and accessories of good design and function, at low prices so the majority of the people can afford them. IKEA currently has more than 190 stores in 32 countries, including 18 in the United States. IKEA is recognized as a socially responsible company, and continuously supports initiatives benefiting children and the environment.

For more information contact Elissa Montanti, at 718- 448-6984 or 917-535-6984 or via email at elissa @globmed.org. Global Medical Relief Fund Mt Loretto 6581 Hylan Blvd. Staten Island, NY 10309 Website: www.globmed.org.

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