UAE Ambassador to US leads record-breaking fundraising effort for children

Washinton, D.C. (WAM): With the leadership of the UAE Ambassador to the US, Yousef Al Otaiba, and the commitment of dozens of UAE and U.S. companies, the Children's National Medical Centre is expected to set new records at this year's "Children's Ball" fundraising event later this week in Washington, DC. This is only the latest milestone in the close and special relationship between the UAE and Children's National, which treats hundreds of Emirati children every year at its Washington hospital. UAE medical students also train at the hospital, and Children's National continues to expand its partnership with UAE medical institutions. In 2009, the Government of Abu Dhabi made a historic gift to establish the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Paediatric Surgical Innovation at Children's National. The Sheikh Zayed Institute is breaking new ground in research that is making paediatric surgery less invasive and less painful for children everywhere. "There are few other international relationships more important to the UAE than our deep and continuing relationship with Children's National," said Ambassador Al Otaiba. "Seriously ill UAE children are getting the best care in the world at Children's National, and its research is improving care for all children everywhere." The Ambassador and his wife had a personal experience at Children's National when their second child needed surgery at just four months old. "We have always been impressed with the compassion and care that the medical staff at Children's National has provided to Emirati kids," he said. "Of course, I never expected that one day we would have to rely on that same care and compassion for our own child." This year, the Al Otaibas volunteered to chair the Children's Ball with their close friends Amy and Bret Baier, whose son has had several open-heart surgeries at Children's National. UAE sponsors of this year's Children's Ball include Etihad Airways, Mubadala, and First Gulf Bank. The Jynwel Foundation, Boeing, ExxonMobil, and Occidental Petroleum Corporation also made significant commitments with additional support provided by BP, HITT, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Textron, United Technologies, and others. – Emirates News Agency, WAM