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Much-Needed MRI Machine For Armenia

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  • Much-Needed MRI Machine For Armenia

    MUCH-NEEDED MRI MACHINE FOR ARMENIA

    Keghart.com Team Editorial
    20 September 2010

    Some $300,000 was pledged for an MRI machine, to be donated to
    Armenia, at the gala fundraiser of the Armenian-Canadian Medical
    Association of Ontario (ACMAO) in Toronto on Sept. 11. Richard Muir
    and his Jericho Foundation donated $150,000 of that amount. The event
    featured guest speaker Dr. Raymond Damadian, the famed inventor of the
    MRI machine. The 360 attendees at the Canadian National Exhibition's
    Liberty Grand building included 50 young professionals, in addition
    to Armenians from a wide cross-section of the community.

    At the top of the evening's agenda was to raise funds to purchase,
    transport and install an MRI machine with 1.5 Tesla (magnetic flux
    density) at the Arapgir Children's Hospital in Yerevan. It will be
    the first and only one of this capacity in Armenia. It is anticipated
    that the advanced machine will be installed next spring.

    Dr. Gevork Mnatzakanian, the MC of the evening, opened the gala by
    welcoming the audience. Dr. Avedis Bogosyan, president of the Armenian
    Medical International Committee (AMIC), extended the greetings of
    his group and underlined the important work ACMAO does in Artsakh
    and in Armenia.

    ACMAO president Dr. Jack Sakarya delivered a brief and touching
    message, encouraging attendees to donate to the MRI fund. Dr. Berge
    Minassian reviewed the work ACMAO has done in Armenia and in Artsakh.

    He also presented a short video from Armenia, demonstrating the
    difference a cutting-edge MRI would make in diagnosing and treating
    patients.

    Following Dr. Minassian's presentation, keynote speaker Dr. Damadian
    took to the podium. His wide-ranging speech included such topics as
    creationism and the Na-K (sodium-potassium) exchange within a cell
    whose investigation ultimately led to the invention of MRI. Through
    video clips and vivid images he demonstrated what goes on inside the
    body when a person is ailing. MRI, with its modern applications, not
    only sees through the coverings of the body (skin and bone, etc.),
    but also minute details within the target tissue. It can inspect the
    entire body. For example, it can find the origin or extent of the
    spread of cancer. The entire world has benefited from the invention.

    It's probably the most important contemporary medical discovery--and
    it's all the brainchild of the son of a Kayseretsi Armenian. Dr.

    Damadian's father was saved from the march to Der el-Zor--the
    "Killing Fields of the Armenian Genocide"-- by his brother in Boston
    who sent money to bribe the Turkish gendarmes to sell him to a Turk
    who delivered Damadian's father to American missionaries.

    Dr. Damadian's speech was followed by an auction. Articles included
    a wide variety of items, topping all was painter Armand Tatossian's
    "Serendipity" which has an estimated retail value of $22,000. As in
    previous ACMAO's gala events, the fundraiser was a success deserving
    praise and congratulations.

    We are all aware of the gloomy economic conditions in our homeland. We
    know about the structural problems and the dire state of health care
    delivery in Armenia. Let us complement the already-raised MRI purchase
    funds to cover expenses related to the training of technicians and
    radiology specialists who will operate the machine. The medical
    gift to our Hayastan is a cause worthy of your support and is tax
    deductible. It will make a substantial difference in health care
    delivery in Armenia. To donate to the fund, please visit ACMAO's
    website .




    From: A. Papazian
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