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DOCTOR MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Glebe and Inner City News (Australia)
March 17, 2015 Tuesday
by Sarah Sharples
A MISSION to save lives and mentor a young surgeon has seen Dr Raffi
Qasabian finance his own trips to Armenia twice a year for half
a decade.
The Glebe resident is an endovascular surgeon, where he manages a
wide range of conditions that affect blood vessels, including veins
and arteries, to prevent conditions such as strokes and gangrene.
He was born to Armenian parents in Australia, after his grandparents
were displaced, driven into the Syrian desert by the Turks in 1915.
Dr Qasabian, 44, said he was instilled with a strong sense of the
Armenian culture while growing up and finally made his first trip back
there in 2004, where he saw most of the population was extremely poor
and there was a desperate need for outside help.
"When I first went there I expected to be this knight in shining
armour, going to take endovascular treatment to Armenia," he said.
"There are two types of surgery in vascular: there is open surgery,
where we do big, open cuts; and there is endovascular surgery, where
we can do similar things, but through keyhole." Dr Qasabian assumed
they'd have open surgical skills and techniques and they would be
waiting for him "with bated breath" to do endovascular surgery.
"But, boy, was I in for a big shock, because they didn't have open
surgery skills either," he said.
"So I was realising very quickly that actually these people needed
vascular surgery as a service." Sadly people have died while on Dr
Qasabian's waiting list, but he has seen 2000 patients and operated
on 150, while also training Armenian surgeon Eduard Aghiyan, who
helps run the clinic.
"Eduard's dream is to become a vascular surgeon and improve the plight
of vascular surgery in Armenia," he said.
"The real difference will be made when Eduard has his own trainees."
Dr Qasabian said his frequent journeys back to Armenia has also helped
him to get back his roots and connect with his fellow Armenians.
"I get so much out of it - a tremendous sense of satisfaction,"
he said.
TOP OPERATOR â- Recently, Dr Qasabian received a medal from the
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan for his contribution to the country's
medicine â- The Royal Prince Alfred surgeon estimates with the loss
of wages that it costs him $100,000 a year to complete his work in
Armeniaâ- His dream is to start a vascular surgical school and invite
doctors out to Australia for training
Glebe and Inner City News (Australia)
March 17, 2015 Tuesday
by Sarah Sharples
A MISSION to save lives and mentor a young surgeon has seen Dr Raffi
Qasabian finance his own trips to Armenia twice a year for half
a decade.
The Glebe resident is an endovascular surgeon, where he manages a
wide range of conditions that affect blood vessels, including veins
and arteries, to prevent conditions such as strokes and gangrene.
He was born to Armenian parents in Australia, after his grandparents
were displaced, driven into the Syrian desert by the Turks in 1915.
Dr Qasabian, 44, said he was instilled with a strong sense of the
Armenian culture while growing up and finally made his first trip back
there in 2004, where he saw most of the population was extremely poor
and there was a desperate need for outside help.
"When I first went there I expected to be this knight in shining
armour, going to take endovascular treatment to Armenia," he said.
"There are two types of surgery in vascular: there is open surgery,
where we do big, open cuts; and there is endovascular surgery, where
we can do similar things, but through keyhole." Dr Qasabian assumed
they'd have open surgical skills and techniques and they would be
waiting for him "with bated breath" to do endovascular surgery.
"But, boy, was I in for a big shock, because they didn't have open
surgery skills either," he said.
"So I was realising very quickly that actually these people needed
vascular surgery as a service." Sadly people have died while on Dr
Qasabian's waiting list, but he has seen 2000 patients and operated
on 150, while also training Armenian surgeon Eduard Aghiyan, who
helps run the clinic.
"Eduard's dream is to become a vascular surgeon and improve the plight
of vascular surgery in Armenia," he said.
"The real difference will be made when Eduard has his own trainees."
Dr Qasabian said his frequent journeys back to Armenia has also helped
him to get back his roots and connect with his fellow Armenians.
"I get so much out of it - a tremendous sense of satisfaction,"
he said.
TOP OPERATOR â- Recently, Dr Qasabian received a medal from the
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan for his contribution to the country's
medicine â- The Royal Prince Alfred surgeon estimates with the loss
of wages that it costs him $100,000 a year to complete his work in
Armeniaâ- His dream is to start a vascular surgical school and invite
doctors out to Australia for training