Al Shifa means healing in Arabic. I think that’s such a beautiful name to give to a hospital: a place where people are treated and healed. They say that you were the only nephrologist there, is that true? How could you have done that? I’m doing my nephrology rotation this semester, and I think of you often: How you cared for your patients; how you dreamt of a better future for your kids; how you sought knowledge and excellence in your field. I would have loved to know how you work. How did you deal with power shortages and dialysis? How did you organize kidney transplants? I walk in the ward here, and I think of what it would be like to learn from you in Palestine: you, as our professor, and we, the students, learn from you. You already taught us so much: In your last interview with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now, you replied to her question about the reason why you haven’t left yet, and you replied:
“You think I went to medical school and for my postgraduate degrees for a total of 14 years so I think only about my life and not my patients?”
This is the sacrifice and commitment that Hippocrates talked about when he formulated his oath, repeated and sworn by physicians around the whole world. It’s not just theory, you put it into practice. In fact, I could feel you were annoyed by her question- it seemed like a logical question to her, while she sits in the comfort of her occidental reality, wondering why would anyone stay and face danger when they can run away. But for you, it wasn’t a logical question. In fact it was an unethical question!
I think about you often; how immense is our loss. I promise you that we will safeguard your legacy in medical practice and pass it on. We will name a whole hospital in your name- that is the least we can pay you back for your sacrifice and sumud.
Rest in power and peace, Dr. Hammam Alloh
Aicha Bint Yusif grew up in the Lower Galilee of Palestine. She holds a degree in English Literature and Honors interdisciplinary program, and is currently studying Medicine. She mainly writes poems, and her works appear in Rusted Radishes (Beirut) and World Literature Today (NYC) among others. She is passionate about languages, embroidery and running. In addition, she is the founder of Poetry is Closer than the Sea project.