Ahead of the 10k Healthy Kidney Run in New York Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor made an emotional visit to Washington DC to visit children suffering from kidney problems at a children’s hospital. Joanna Andrews was there.
Khalaf Al Habtoor visited the Children’s National Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation in Washington DC in April where he met with children suffering from kidney disease. He was also shown around the hospital’s research centre where he met researchers, bio-medical engineers and clinicians.
The Sheikh Zayed Institute of Pediatric Surgical Innovation (SZI) was founded in 2010 through a $150 million grant from the government of Abu Dhabi with a mission for the SZI to make pediatric surgery more precise, less invasive and pain free. The institute was created as a global model for health care innovation in pediatrics. Since opening, it has made a series of breakthroughs in medical technology.
Al Habtoor praised the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding President of the United Arab Emirates, for his strong principles. “Sheikh Zayed was a man who led by example. He did a lot of good around the world and he taught us something very important. He taught us not to differentiate between race or religion, and we are continuing in that footpath.”
The visit preceded the 10K Healthy Kidney Run in Central Park in New York in Shiekh Zayed’s honour where the Al Habtoor Group was the main sponsor for the 13th Zayed Charity Marathon in New York for the second year running.
Upon his return to the United Arab Emirates Chairman Al Habtoor received Michael Williams, Chairman of the Children’s National Board of Trustees, Washington DC at his office in Dubai. The visit took place on April 26. Williams was accompanied by Pradnya Haldipur, Associate Vice President, Children’s National Foundation.
They discussed potential ways to collaborate with a focus on kidney disease and diabetes. Al Habtoor said, “These diseases impact so many people around the world. It is important that more research is conducted to prevent these diseases further down the line.”