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The Cave
The Cave: A Secret Underground Hospital and One Woman's Story of Survival in Syria | Rania Abouzeid, Amani Ballour
2 posts | 1 read
This searing memoir tells the story of a young doctor and activist who ran an underground hospital in Damascus, humanizing the enduring crisis in Syria. There is no one in Syria with a story like Dr. Amani Ballour's. The only woman to have ever run a wartime hospital, she saved her peers from the atrocities of war while contending with the patriarchal conservatism around her. Growing up in Assads Syria, Ballour knew she wanted to be more than a housewife, even as her siblings were married off in their teens. As the revolution unfolded, she volunteered at a local clinic and was thrown into the deep end of emergency medicine, where she found her voice. Among the facets of this powerful tale: Becoming a hospital director. Shielding children from a horrific sarin attack. Losing colleagues. Attempting to employ more women. Abandoning the hospital. Becoming a refugee. Moving forward. Amani Ballour is a game changer who, like Malala Yousafzai, will be remembered as one of historys great heroines. Growing up in a closely confined society, she dared to dreamfirst of an education, then of a careerthat allowed her to make her mark on the world and protect the country she loves. A passionately committed humanitarian, she is determined that others will escape the horrors she survived.
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JenniferEgnor
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This was a moving, tragic and powerful memoir. Nearly every page is a gut punch. From a young age, Dr. Amani knew she wanted to break the norms and do something extraordinary with her life. She became educated in the medical field and immediately threw herself into the pain of others, believing she could make a difference. With bombs all around, continuous strikes, shrapnel, gunfire and collapsing buildings, she continued to show up and⬇️

JenniferEgnor fight not only to save lives, but to fight for a democracy in the country she loved, Syria. Against all the odds, she pushed through. Despite having to leave Syria to survive, she is still doing her life‘s work. This memoir is a reminder of just how privileged so many of us are—that everything can be stripped in a moment‘s time, and most importantly, to fight back. America is fading. Don‘t let it happen without one hell of a fight. 1d
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JenniferEgnor
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I am not hopeless. I know that human beings are capable of changing history. I believe in the ability of people in democracies to change government policies and to help others elsewhere through humanitarian gestures if their governments won‘t. We can all do our part. My colleagues and I in The Cave never faltered or wondered, What difference can one person make? Every helping hand is precious. Individual efforts can snowball into ⬇️

JenniferEgnor group efforts. And group efforts can change the world. 1d
10 likes1 comment