The long wait for a Somali woman left horribly disfigured when she was shot in the face as a child is almost over.

Ayaan Mohamed, now 25, suffered horrific facial injuries as a result of the attack during Somalia’s brutal civil war.

In addition to cosmetic disfigurement, Ms Mohamed has difficulty eating and drinking and is unable to close her right eye.

She will arrive in Brisbane next week to undergo reconstructive surgery, thanks to the generosity of local Rotary clubs, donors and medical experts in the Queensland capital.

Mrs Ismail founded the Edna Adan University Hospital to help combat infant and maternal mortality in her nation and has taken an active interest in Ms Mohamed’s plight.

“(I sincerely appreciate) the medical treatment, which is being offered to this young woman who sustained this injury when she was two years old,” she said.

Wesley Hospital medical services director Luis Prado said the hospital would cover the costs of Ms Mohamed’s hospital stay, theatre and other costs.

“Mrs Ismail’s tireless humanitarian work, the donations made and the community spirit shown by people here and overseas have combined to help achieve this outcome to bring Ms Mohamed to Brisbane,” Dr Prado said.

“Many of the Wesley’s visiting medical specialists and staff are generously volunteering their time and skills to assist.”

Brisbane’s High-Rise and Mitchelton Rotary clubs raised the money for Ms Mohamed’s trip to Australia.

The surgery, expected to take place on February 22, has been a long time coming.

The Wesley Hospital and Rotary had offered to bring Ms Mohamed to Australia for the complicated surgery free of charge last year, but the then-Gillard government denied her a medical visa last March.

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison finally approved the visa last month, after a second visa application was made in October.

Source: Brisbane Times

 

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