TBO.com News

Soldier Helps Heal Afghan Girl's Heart

Basira Jan enjoys a ride at Walt Disney World this past week with her benefactor Maj. Courtenay Callis of the Florida National Guard, left, and interpreter Ajmal Myakhel.

BOB HITE / WFLA

By LIISA HYVARINEN and BOB HITE News Channel 8

Published: Dec 8, 2005

ORLANDO - Running from one ride to the next in the winter breeze, 6-year-old Basira Jan's cheeks glowed from the exercise and excitement of Walt Disney World - just like any other child visiting the theme park.

Just three months ago, her frail frame and sunken, dark eyes revealed a child with a bad heart growing up in the mountains of Afghanistan, a nation ravaged by war, drought and internal strife for 25 years. Born with a congenital heart defect, Basira could only sit and watch while other children played.

A Florida National Guard major's efforts changed everything, and for that, Basira's father is grateful.

"She's great, and I am 100 percent sure she is very well now and, God willing, she will continue the rest of her life back in Afghanistan," said Ghulam Ghaus, 46, Basira's father, at Disney World on Dec. 1. "When I go back to Afghanistan, I will tell everybody what the U.S. Army did for me."

Maj. Courtenay Callis, a Sarasota resident and member of a Florida Guard unit based in Lakeland, met Ghaus soon after he deployed to Camp Phoenix near Kabul in June.

Basira accompanied her father to the camp to help him pick out donated clothes for herself and her eight siblings. "Before we could get maybe 50 yards, her father would need to carry her because she'd be out of breath. She'd turn blue from the lack of oxygen," said Callis, who has a 10-year-old son.

Military doctors found the heart defect and did not expect her to survive past her 10th birthday without surgery.

Two Indiana National Guard units, stationed at Camp Phoenix before the Florida Guard came, took Basira's case to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Hospital workers and Central Indiana Rotary's Gift of Life program, which brings children from developing countries to the United States for heart surgery, joined the effort.

Callis arranged passports, visas and airplane tickets for Basira and her father.

Callis said the surgery went well, but Basira got pneumonia and then a virus, which led the doctors to postpone her return to Afghanistan.

She wasn't bored while she recuperated. Florida troops collected enough money for a vacation for Basira, her father and her interpreter when she was strong enough to travel.

Callis got leave to come home the Sunday after Thanksgiving, one day before Basira landed in Orlando.

Callis had an emotional meeting with Basira after the surgery. "When I first approached her, she came right up to me and gave me a big old hug and squeezed my neck," he said.

Basira and her father flew back to Afghanistan on Monday. Callis leaves for Kabul on Tuesday to return to his job at the Commander's Emergency Response Program, which identifies immediate needs for Afghan nationals like Basira.

He faces a new challenge - finding a Florida hospital to help with the donated surgeries for other children. "We're hoping someone here in the Tampa Bay area will step up."

WANT TO HELP?

To help Afghan children, send donations to:

Afghanistan Children's Relief Fund

care of Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Blasko

2-116 Field Artillery

4140 Drane Field Road

Lakeland FL 33811