A major donation was made to the Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital by a delegation headed by Father Joseph Mata, archbishop of the Greek Catholic community in the Galilee.
(L-R): Professor Myriam Ben-Arush, Father Joseph Mata, and Dr. Michael Halberthal. Photgraphy: Pioter Fliter.
A delegation led by Father Joseph Mata, Archbishop of the Greek Catholic Church in the Galilee, visited Rambam Health Care Campus. During the course of the visit, delegation members met Rambam Director, Dr. Michael Halberthal, with whom they discussed the hospital's work in the fields of medicine and research. The delegation also met with the Director of the Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital, Professor Myriam Ben-Arush, as well as senior department directors and staff members of the local Christian community.
Professor Zaher Azzam, Director of the Department of Internal Medicine B, spoke to the delegation about the diverse team he leads, where all considerations are based on professionalism, science, humanity, and love and respect for all people as they are. Professor Imad Kassis, Director of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, spoke about the Pediatric Dialysis Unit being one of the few such pediatric units in the country and how it receives children and adolescents from all over Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and neighboring countries. Mrs. Grace Jacob, a social worker at the Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital, spoke about the joint activities of all patients of all faiths in the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and the beautiful human mosaic created by the staff and the young patients and their families. Rabi'a Salama, the senior nurse in the Department of Emergency Medicine, spoke about the challenges of dealing with a culturally diverse population. In addition to the official moments, a single moment was shared between the archbishop and Dr. Rafi Hadad, a resident in the Department of Neurology, when they discovered that they both grew up in the Galilee village of Eilabun.
The highlight of the visit occurred when Father Mata presented the Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology with a donation that was collected by members of the Greek Catholic Church and donors who preferred to remain anonymous, choosing to modestly do what they could to help alleviate the pain and suffering of the young patients.
"We chose to give our modest contribution to Rambam because of our deep appreciation for the great work they do and for the divine mission that its teams fulfill with dedication and professionalism," said Father Mata, adding "And above all, because of our appreciation for the family atmosphere and the social fabric of Rambam Health Care Campus, which represents Israeli society with all of its beautiful shades and colors."