Not all adults can look back on their childhoods with peace. Some were filled with terrible hardships.
The Perils of War
Dr. Anisa Ibrahim has a mix of memories when she reflects.
She can remember having to flee Somalia at the age of five because of the civil war. She spent a year in a refugee camp in Kenya.
She recalls the living space being cramped during a time where infectious diseases was rampant, and poverty and unrest were high. Yet, she still considered herself and her family as being lucky.
The Next Year
She and her family were taken to the United States through re-location. Once there, she along with her siblings ended up with measles and had to be treated at Harborview Medical Centre Pediatrics Clinic in Seattle.
Two Decades Later
Now moving forward, Anisa Ibrahim finds herself at the very same clinic.
But not as a patient. Instead, Dr. Anisa Ibrahim is now the director of the center.
Humble and Compassionate
Dr. Ibrahim does not consider herself to be exceptional. She says there are many refugees that would do amazing things if they were just given the change. But now the Nation is experiencing unsettlement in its refugee program.
Anisa’s Mentor
Dr. Ibrahim always knew that she wanted to be a Doctor, and the treatment that the clinic provided her with strengthened this passion all the more. Her pediatrician, Dr. Elinor Graham at Harborview, believed in her and encouraged her. Dr. Graham said she could remember Anisa always saying she wanted to be a Doctor like Dr. Graham.
Filling Her Dreams
Dr. Ibrahim graduated from the University of Washington Medical School. In 2016 she joined Harborview. Then soon after was promoted to medical director.
Dr. Graham Proud
Dr. Graham feels that having Dr. Ibrahim fill the position that she held when Alisha was a child is the highlight of Dr. Graham’s career.
Harborview Clinic
The Clinic is recognized for providing medical services those with a low income, as well as refugees and those in a minority population.
Battling Stereotypes
Dr. Ibrahim did not exactly have a smooth time during her educational years.
She was the first in the family to go to school and did not know what to expect. She felt that she needed to figure it out so she would be able to guide her younger siblings when they entered the school system. She was in a strange culture and experienced social isolation that was very difficult for her to overcome.
She was the only one in her medical school that wore a hijab, which made her stand out from the rest. Sometimes she was fearful that she would be accepted into the medical programs.
A Family Of Her Own
Not only is Dr. Ibrahim, a medical director but she is a Mother of two with a third on the way. She is a glowing example of how Motherhood and career can be balanced.
Her Encouragement for Refugees
In her position as medical director of the clinic, Dr. Ibrahim now has the opportunity to encourage refugees just as she once was.
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