The Beirut Port Explosion on August 4, 2020 has led to the death and injuries of hundreds of people across Beirut and Lebanon. Among the victims of the blast, Salem al-Bakri was severely injured and lost his ability to walk and leave his home.
al-Bakri was born in the Zuqaq al-Blat area of Beirut, Lebanon, and currently lives in Choueifat, a Beirut Suburb. The 45 year-old used to work as a driver for a private company and had a stable and simple life. All of that changed drastically on August 4, 2020.
Today, al-Bakri urgently needs bone surgery. Without the surgery, his leg is at risk of amputation. The remaining medical costs are estimated to be around $5,000, and official authorities are refusing to take on his medical expenses.
al-Bakri’s friends, led by Karim Safieddine and Rami Rajeh, set up a GoFundMe to campaign and support surgery and treatment costs. The GoFundMe link to donate can be found here:
On December 10, Rajeh provided a brief update on al-Bakri’s case. The update mentions that before al-Bakri can undergo his second surgery, doctors need to treat a bacterial infection and that he already started his treatment with antibiotics.
The update describes that the donations and shares have already made a big difference and that the group is grateful to everyone who has helped so far.
This week, he will receive a culture test to find out if the bacteria remains present. Depending on the result, he will either undergo the needed surgery, undergo another surgery process to clean his thigh from the bacteria, or keep on taking the medication, according to Rajeh.
An explanatory video can be found here:
Link to Donate via GoFundMe:
