This month's Empowered Arab Woman is Michigan native and pediatrician, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha. A daughter to immigrant Iraqi parents, she discovered that the blood lead levels were rising in children in the city of Flint. Upon researching the increase in cases of lead poisoning, she discovered something was not right. She contacted Flint's government and was turned away for her "false accusations," stating that her facts were fabricated. She almost single-handedly brought this major issue to light.
Mona is the director of the pediatric residency program at Hurley Children’s Hospital in Flint and acts as assistant professor of pediatrics at Michigan State University. She is married with two little children who she says are her "best pediatric teachers."
The lead poisoning began in April of 2014 when the city of Flint changed its water source to the Flint River in an effort to cut costs. Although the residents complained about the quality of the water, officials kept assuring that the water was safe to drink. Upon hearing reports from a Virginia Tech group, Mona discovered the relationship between the government's decision and the rising number of lead-poisoning cases of children in her city. She did the research and found that the number of cases doubled and even tripled in some neighborhoods over the past couple of years. Although she made an ethical decision in warning people of the situation, Mona received a lot of backlash. It was only until she contacted a state health official that she was able to receive some momentum on her search for justice.
Mona is the director of the pediatric residency program at Hurley Children’s Hospital in Flint and acts as assistant professor of pediatrics at Michigan State University. She is married with two little children who she says are her "best pediatric teachers."
The lead poisoning began in April of 2014 when the city of Flint changed its water source to the Flint River in an effort to cut costs. Although the residents complained about the quality of the water, officials kept assuring that the water was safe to drink. Upon hearing reports from a Virginia Tech group, Mona discovered the relationship between the government's decision and the rising number of lead-poisoning cases of children in her city. She did the research and found that the number of cases doubled and even tripled in some neighborhoods over the past couple of years. Although she made an ethical decision in warning people of the situation, Mona received a lot of backlash. It was only until she contacted a state health official that she was able to receive some momentum on her search for justice.
Mona states that merely masking a situation by just treating, does not make the future any brighter if you don't prevent the cause that started it. She pushes forward and continues to fight, research, teach and advocate for those who need it the most - that is why she is our Empowered Arab Woman of the Month. She sets a high bar, is determined and has a strong sense of strength, intelligence and justice. Thank you Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha for your dedication and courage.
If you would like to help Mona and her support for the children of Flint, Michigan who were wrongly affected by the tainted water, you can donate to Mona's Flint Child Health & Development Fund.
If you would like to help Mona and her support for the children of Flint, Michigan who were wrongly affected by the tainted water, you can donate to Mona's Flint Child Health & Development Fund.
Sources:
- How A Stubborn Pediatrician Forced The State To Take Flint's Water Crisis Seriously: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pediatrician-forced-state-to-take-flint-crisis-seriously_us_569febbfe4b076aadcc5014e
- 'Our mouths were ajar': Doctor's fight to expose Flint's water crisis: http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/21/health/flint-water-mona-hanna-attish/
- Flint Doctor Mona Hanna-Attisha on How She Fought Gov't Denials to Expose Poisoning of City's Kids: http://www.democracynow.org/2016/1/15/flint_doctor_mona_hanna_attisha_on
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