Mercy mission for air crew
Gazette & Herald
28th July 2005
www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk
HERCULES crews from RAF Lyneham have helped to save the life of a seven-year-old Iraqi boy. Kadhem Jawad who lives in the village of Al Batha in central Iraq was diagnosed with the condition Fallots' Tetralogy, known as Blue Baby by US medics. Without surgery he had a life expectancy of just 15 years and treatment was unavailable in the Gulf. His only chance of survival was a trip to America for treatment.

His plight touched American Army officers, who tried to arrange medical care in Iraq. Major Brian Stevens of the Texas Army National Guard said: "We normally would try to use the Iraqi health care system first if we can. "But in Kadhem's case we had to take him to the US for care because the cardiac hospital in Baghdad does not have the capability to do the surgery he needed."

With no direct flights out of Iraq, he needed to be flown to a neighbouring country. But US forces had no aircraft available, so the job of flying Kadhem and his father out of Iraq fell to Flt Lt Al Tano, Flt Lt Andy Graham, Master Aircrew Gerry Maher and Sgt Paul Parrott of 24 Squadron at RAF Lyneham.

When the day came he boarded the aircraft with his father, along with a British and American nurse, and as soon as the giant transport plane took off, Kadhem fell asleep in his dad's arms. Just over an hour later the crew arrived in Kuwait, where Kadhem spent several days being looked after by American medics. He was then taken by German Lufthansa aircraft from Kuwait to Texas. Flt Lt Tano said: "The Americans had no aircraft available, so we flew him ­ it was a routine flight, but he and his father seemed a little concerned. I think it was the first time they had ever flown.

"We do occasionally fly missions like this and it's great to know we have helped this lad." Flt Lt Andy Graham, co-pilot on the mission said: "It made a change from the daily task of ferrying around soldiers and equipment. We are always keen to do our bit for humanitarian missions, but its pleasing to know we have made a big difference to this little boy's life."

Little is known about Kadhem's treatment, but the crew say they have heard through the grapevine that the treatment was successful. In January 2004, a Lyneham aircrew flew a 350-mile mission from Swansea to Glasgow to save the life of critically ill newborn baby after stormy weather grounded all other aircraft and helicopters.