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The Iraqi Ambassador to the U.S., Samir Sumaidaie, visiting

The Ambassador of Iraq to the United States, Samir
Sumaidaie, took a break from business in Knoxville to come to Nashville
Sunday to visit Amenah, the 2-year-old Iraqi girl who has come to the
Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt for surgery to
correct a life-threatening heart defect. Sumaidaie is from Haditha,
Iraq, the hometown of Amenah and her family.

Sumaidaie said he heard of Amenah about 10 days ago and was concerned
about her health. He visited with Amenah and her mother in their
hospital room in the Cardiac Care Unit at Children's Hospital for about
30 minutes. Doctors, including Kevin Churchwell, M.D., chief executive
officer of Children's Hospital and also a pediatric critical care
physician, briefed Sumaidaie about Amenah's condition. Afterward, the
ambassador told members of the media in attendance that efforts like
this to help Amenah are important, especially in times of war.

"War is a cruel thing. Many families get destroyed or disrupted, but
there are instances where lives are saved, many instances," Sumaidaie
said. "I would like to express my appreciation to the American military
that never miss a chance --where it is possible, they have saved lives."

Sumaidaie also expressed his gratitude to Churchwell and the hospital
staff for agreeing to treat Amenah without charge. The child and her
family found their way to the Children's Hospital when a Vanderbilt
physician, who is serving as the battalion medical officer for troops
who first found Amenah in Iraq, contacted his colleagues back in
Nashville.

"It is important by saving her life they will have left a mark, not only
on that family but on the entire community. So that is really the best
way to win the war. The best way to defeat terrorists is to be on the
side of the people, and this is a shining example of this," said
Sumaidaie.

Amenah has been at Children's Hospital since Thursday, being treated for
an infection in preparation for open-heart surgery to repair a complex
heart defect she has had since birth. It is hoped Amenah will be well
enough to undergo surgery within the next two weeks. Her doctors say she
will die without surgery.

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