Dr. Ahmed has one of those jobs you have to be called to do. He specializes in pediatric bone marrow and stem transplants. Jonah got the latter, a stem transplant, which is dangerous because the high-dose chemotherapy can kill you. A bone marrow transplant is dangerous for the same reason, plus the child may get graft versus host disease. There was a time when Dr. Ahmed would come into the room and I would leave. I felt the information he had could kill me, so I needed it filtered through my husband Aaron with a lot of "we can do this,” and "I know Jonah will be fine” added in.
When I think of him now several scenes flash through my mind that prove to me he is one of the most tender-hearted of Jonah’s squadron of doctors.
I picture him visiting us nearly every day in the PICU after Jonah became deathly ill during his stem cell transplant.
I picture Dr. Ahmed sitting at a desk in the PICU with Aaron for an hour explaining to him what was happening to Jonah. The fluid that wasn't going through Jonah's liver was backed up in his stomach causing his breathing to get harder and his lungs to get sick.
I picture him, head bowed, sitting across the aisle from us at sweet Ella’s funeral. Ella was a two year girl with medulloblastoma who had three stem cell transplants.
I picture Dr. Ahmed coming into our room in the PICU announcing that Jonah was cancer free.
I see him singing a celebration song with many other Children's Mercy staff when we finally got to take Jonah home 162 days after transplant.
He has chosen a life’s work that many couldn’t, because he see’s purpose in it. He is the somebody, somewhere you hope is doing something about cancer.
The Kansas City Clothing Co. in partnership with KC’s Supporting Kids Foundation has created, SUPERHEROES OF KC, a limited edition t-shirt line aimed to reveal the heroes among us. Throughout September, Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, a portion of the proceeds of every t-shirt go to local families afflicted with the disease. Reveal your identity and get your KC Superheroes shirt.