THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 34, Number 8 Thursday, March 1, 2018 The Enduring Human Spirit by Kayla Weiss From an early age, Monica Lorimer knew she wanted to help people. That fervor nev- er dimmed, especially after completing her residency at Loyola University Chicago. Medical mission work had considerable appeal. Life, however, has a way of putting certain ambitions on hold. Over the years, Lorimer focused on her career as a surgeon, and the family she and husband Matt Troy, also a surgeon, raised in Long Beach. So when the opportu- nity arose late last year to join forces with the Syrian Ameri- can Medical Society, Lorimer realized she could make a dif- ference. In the process, she learned there is nothing more inspiring than the human spirit. Take, for instance, a deaf Dr. Monica Lorimer interacts with children during her mission trip through Syrian American Medical Society. patient brought to her by his cousin. Medical care versity of Illinois College of Medicine Chicago in required four-way translation so they could speak. 1989, then attended Loyola for her residency. It was Nonetheless, Lorimer said, “They were some of there she met Troy, who also is from Chicago. To- the warmest people I have met. They didn’t have gether, they took their fi rst jobs in Minnesota, later much of anything, but they were so kind and in- moving to Michigan City when an opportunity arose vited me into their home, and I ended up spending to work at what is now known as Franciscan St. An- Thanksgiving with them. Their giving spirit is phe- thony Health-Michigan City. nomenal. “Matt had a summer home here, and when the “To see what the Syrian people — all the refugees, opportunity at St. Anthony’s arose, we jumped at and the doctors who risked their lives and well-be- the chance,” she said. “It’s such a beautiful area, ing to help us and the Syrian people — have gone and we thought it would be a great place to live and through, and to still see them smiling and standing raise our family.” tall, it’s truly an incredible thing.” Later, Lorimer had the chance to work in Chi- Lorimer recently talked with The Beacher about cago again while her husband stayed in Michigan the experience. City. Until recently, she worked at Mount Sinai, an But fi rst, a little bit about Lorimer herself. inner-city hospital that treated those living in the A Chicago-area native, she graduated from Uni- Continued on Page 2 THE Page 2 March 1, 2018 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 %HDFKHU&RPSDQ\'LUHFWRU\ e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] 'RQDQG7RP0RQWJRPHU\ 2ZQHUV email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.thebeacher.com/ $QGUHZ7DOODFNVRQ (GLWRU 'UHZ:KLWH 3ULQW6DOHVPDQ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by -DQHW%DLQHV ,QVLGH6DOHV&XVWRPHU6HUYLFH TM %HFN\:LUHEDXJK 7\SHVHWWHU'HVLJQHU Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS 5DQG\.D\VHU 3UHVVPDQ 'RUD.D\VHU %LQGHU\ Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also &KHU\O-RSSHN5RVH3ROORFN5DQG\6FKHUPHUKRUQ 3URGXFWLRQ delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. -RKQ%DLQHV.DUHQ*HKU&KULV.D\VHU'HQQLV0D\EHUU\ 'HOLYHU\ and medical education and training in Syria, Jor- Human Spirit Continued from Page 1 dan, Turkey, Lebanon and Greece. Originally found- most poverty-stricken areas of the city. ed as a peer group for Syrian Americans to interact Now the mother of fi ve teens, Lorimer found it and gain peer support, it has evolved into a non- was time to take a step back from full-time surgeon profi t providing medical care to those in need in and duties and pursue work that allows her to go be- from Syria. tween fi ve to 10 days a month to other areas where “For a while, SAMS was doing most of their a surgeon is needed. care and volunteer work in-country,” Lorimer said. “Now that I have taken a step back, I found that I “However, volunteers can’t go into Syria for the time had time to do something that I have always wanted being because the regime targets health-care work- to do: mission work,” she said. “For the fi rst time in ers as a way to demoralize the Syrian population.” my life, I have been able to SAMS still supports thou- do what I wanted to do since sands of Syrian refugees residency. Since the plight who have found shelter of the Syrian refugees came in neighboring countries to the forefront in 2014, I and provides medical care. have wanted to go and help Through volunteers, SAMS in some way. Finally, I have orchestrates medical mis- the chance to do so.” sions, providing refugees The ongoing Syrian civil with free health care. war has drawn an increas- The cost of these missions ing amount of humanitar- and the subsequent care is ian efforts over the past four expensive. The Jordanian years as more human-rights government and hospitals violations and deaths are re- have to grant permission ported. Many groups have before anyone can arrive. focused on the refugee crisis. SAMS also has to pay to use “Before I went to work the hospitals, from operat- at Mount Sinai, one of my ing rooms to equipment. colleagues was a Syrian The mission on which American and was such a Lorimer embarked cost lovely, warm, good person,” $50,000. Lorimer said. “He was very “Our parish at Notre involved with the Syrian Dame was incredibly gener- American Medical Society ous in allowing me to speak when the war broke out, and at church about the mission he was just devastated by and our goals,” she said. “A what was happening, and special collection was taken he would leave weekly to and, through the kindness of our fellow parishioners, we try to lobby the powers that A Minnesota pediatrician, and fellow volunteer, be at the United Nations or brightens around the Syrian children. were able to raise $5,000.” in Washington to do some- “If you want to make a dif- thing. ference, giving your support to organizations that “As a result of working with him, I became more are truly helping and making a difference is a great aware of the problems in Syria than I normally step, and SAMS is one of those organizations.” would be,” she continued. “It opened my eyes to it Each mission through SAMS has a different fo- all.” cus, from ophthalmology and ears/nose/throat to Founded in 1998, SAMS is a non-profi t organiza- general and cardiac surgery. tion that provides medical work, medical missions The mission of which Lorimer participated in- THE March 1, 2018 Page 3 A special invitation for 5th - 8th graders 1VCMJD QSJWBUF DIBSUFSBOE IPNFTDIPPMQBSFOUTTUVEFOUTXFMDPNF Wolf Pack Roundup! Thursday March 15 5:30 p.m. Monica is photographed with some of her patients. cluded the fi rst round of OB-GYN and general sur- Stop by to see what’s in store as you take it to the geons. Over the course of fi ve to six days, she and next level in middle or high school! the team were able to complete 35 general surger- ies. One of the things SAMS did during the mission was to bring a couple of the Syrian doctors over the border into Jordan to be with the volunteers. They were from a region of Syria called Daara, where the uprising originally started. The population has MICHIGAN CITY HIGH SCHOOL dropped from 2 million to a mere 500,000. Before 8466 W. Pahs Road the uprising, there were about 3,000 doctors in the area. Now, only about 100 remain, including medi- BARKER MIDDLE SCHOOL cal students and people in training. Wanted by the 319 Barker Road regime, there are only fi ve surgeons left in the area, three of which were snuck across the Jordanian bor- KRUEGER MIDDLE SCHOOL der at night to help the mission workers. “They are incredibly committed to the people of 2001 Springland Avenue Syria and their homeland, ready to stand to the death. It was incredibly humbling to be in their t5",&"(6*%&%5063 presence,” Lorimer said. “Overall, this was an incredible experience, and t.&&55&"$)&34 $06/4&-034 one I will keep with me forever.” (Visit www.sams-usa.net for more information on BOE13*/$*1"-4 Syrian American Medical Society.) t(&5*/'00/$-"44&4 $-6#4 "5)-&5*$4 BOE"$"%&.*$5&".4 t'*/%065)08:06--4"7&0/ $0--&(&8*5)"1%6"-$3&%*5 1-64*/'00/5)& i.*$)*("/$*5:130.*4&w 4$)0-"34)*1 Monica Lorimer stands with three Syrian surgeons who came #ONECITYONEPACK across the boarder to help the volunteers. THE Page 4 March 1, 2018 Brainy “Annihilation” Grows On You by Andrew Tallackson Oscar-winner Natalie Portman stars as a biologist investigating a strange phenomenon in “Annihilation.” “Annihilation” is a fi lm you appreciate afterward, ity and perception have been mutated. Garland, as when you’re no longer held hostage by the lethargic director, bathes the images in a muted palate that pace. resembles the rainbow colors of a prism. There are That’s because the movie, based on the fi rst in Jeff physical threats, but the real hurdle, as the team VanderMeer’s “Southern Reach Trilogy,” is the work ventures inward, is that the journey takes a bruis- of Alex Garland, the rarest of science-fi ction story- ing psychological toll.