ATFP Announces Partnership with PCRF, Seeks Volunteer Surgeons for One-Week Rotations in West Bank

Washington, D.C., April 11 -- The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) today announced that it was forming a partnership with The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) to administer a new humanitarian medical program to help alleviate the Palestinian medical situation in the West Bank.

PCRF is a non-political, non-profit organization that was established in 1991 to address the medical and humanitarian crisis facing Palestinian youth in the Middle East. PCRF has arranged for cost-free treatment for hundreds of sick and injured Palestinian children who are unable to get necessary and specialized treatment. For the past 15 years, PCRF has been sending volunteer medical missions to the Middle East and has already sent over 10 missions in 2007 where several procedures were performed, including pediatric cardiac surgery, cardiac surgery, plastic surgery, ophthalmic surgery, spine surgery, orthopedics, and cleft lip and palate surgery.

The program, 'Healing Palestinians,' will consist of one-week rotations to several West Bank hospitals beginning in Summer 2007. ATFP and PCRF are seeking volunteer surgeons for one-week rotations in hospitals in the West Bank. For the purposes of this program, ATFP is seeking Arabic-speaking volunteer surgeons in various surgical specialties only. ATFP is seeking volunteer surgeons in the following specialties: plastic and reconstructive surgery, orthopedic surgery, pediatric urologists, ophthalmologists, cardiologists, pediatric surgery, maxillofacial surgery, and neurosurgery.

The 'Healing Palestinians' program will provide travel, transportation and lodging expenses to the West Bank for volunteers who qualify for the program.