Iranian infant, Fatemah Taghizaheh, in need of life-saving heart transplant surgery arrived Tuesday at a Portland hospital with her family after being temporarily banned from coming to the US by President Donald Trump’s executive order.
The infant was referred to an Oregon hospital by Iranian doctors for an urgent surgery to correct serious heart defects.
Fatemah’s family previously had an appointment in Dubai to get a tourist visa.The infant’s embassy appointment was cancelled because of the controversial executive order banning the entry of citizens from seven countries, including Iran, into United States.
A Seattle judge issued a temporary restraining order on the ban the same day a waiver was granted for the baby, AP reported.
US Sen. Jeff Merkley , New York Governdrew Cuomo and immigration attorneys played instrumental role in getting the waiver for the baby’s family.
The Portland hospital issued a statement saying that the family “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.”
The sources from hospital quoted by AP said that the treatment would begin with a cardiac catheterization, performed by Dr. Laurie Armsby, interim head of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, followed by a five- to six-hour surgical procedure performed by Dr. Irving Shen, a nationally respected expert on Fatemeh’s condition.
Earlier, Andrew Cuomo had took to Twitter to express his outrage against the executive order banning little Fatemah’s treatment and said that he would be glad to help little Fatemah.
He tweeted: Here’s the consequence of this un-American policy. An exception should be made. If OR has issue, NY will provide care.
