Children's Cancer Center opens seven new rooms.

Byline: Sarah Weatherbee

Summary: The Children's Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL) opened seven new rooms in its internal care center on Tuesday. Rotary Koura and Brookline Massachusetts Rotary club 7910 financed the project through an $82,000 donation.

BEIRUT:A The Children's Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL) opened seven new rooms in its internal care center on Tuesday. Rotary Koura and Brookline Massachusetts Rotary club 7910 financed the project through an $82,000 donation.

The opening ceremony on Wednesday consisted of speeches from CCCL and Rotary club representatives, followed by a visit to the seven new rooms in the inpatient facility.

The Children's Cancer Center of Lebanon is a Beirut-based facility affiliated with St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. CCCL provides comprehensive cancer therapy to children and works closely with the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). The center offers inpatient and outpatient therapies to children of all racial, religious and economic backgrounds. Private donations such as those of Rotary Koura comprise most of CCCL's funding.

Paul Edde, head of CCCL's communications committee, welcomed attendees to the opening ceremony and outlined the history of the project. "Rotary's mission goes hand in hand with that of CCCL," Edde said.A He described how Koura Rotarian Greta Saab and CCCL medical director Miguel Abboud initiated the project in 2003.

"Saab and her Rotary club in Koura, in association with Dr. Abboud, decided to offer help for the center. Her efforts were crowned by the opening of seven new rooms on the fourth floor of building 56," Edde saidA A

Khalil Armache, president of Rotary Koura, thanked the members of Rotary Koura and US Rotary club 7910 in Brookline, Massachusetts, for their efforts. "It is our duty as a club to help society, especially to help this center as it cares for sick children," Armache said.

Rotary district secretary Ronald Farra said that he felt overwhelmed with happiness at the project's completion. "Our slogan in Rotary is 'making dreams come true' and that is exactly what we did at CCCL," Farra said. He commended the courageousness of the children fighting cancer and thanked Rotary club 7910 in Massachusetts for its donations.

CCCL chairman Salim Zeeni also thanked both Rotary clubs for their generosity.

"CCCL promises you that we will do everything within our means to keep this project going and to give our children the best chances in life," Zeeni said, citing the words of St. Jude Hospital founder Danny Thomas: "No child should die young."

After the ceremony, he explained the need for the seven additional rooms. "We are increasing capacity and thanks to the Rotary donation we can enhance the level of services," Zeeni said.

CCCL medical director Miguel Abboud mentioned past difficulties of accommodating patients. "In the past, patients we could not accommodate had to go to AUBMC. Now we can accommodate everyone," he said, adding that the additional rooms will "make a huge difference for patients."

Greta Saab said that despite the newly opened rooms, there was still "a need for more rooms in the center."

"The Lebanese community in Massachusetts was very helpful in contributing to this project," she added.

Saab also explained her interest in the project on a personal level. "My niece was one of the first patients here," she said. She added that a future project for CCCL could include a new MRI machine for the center.

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