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New Yorker Makes the World a Better Place, for One Child at a Time
By Tina Eichner It is the lucky few who can point to a moment in
time and mark the identification of their life's
purpose.
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Above: Elissa Montanti with Tara and Hamdani. Photos courtesy of Shriners Hospitals for Children, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. |
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For Elissa Montanti, the one-woman powerhouse
behind the Global Medical Relief Fund, that moment occurred a
decade ago in a United Nations office where she read a letter from
a 15-year-old boy named Kenan Malkic who had stepped on a landmine
in Bosnia, losing both arms and a leg in the accident.
"I am asking God and all merciful people to help me with getting
prosthetics," wrote Kenan.
Montanti said from that point on, her life was changed forever
as she was moved to help the children injured by the war in Bosnia
and Herzegovina.
At the time of her UN visit, the native Staten Islander was a
medical technician and artist talking with the United Nations
ambassador from Bosnia about sending school supplies and toys to
the children there. She had even reached back to her past career
and passion for music to write a song, "Let's Do a Miracle," for
the UN in support of such efforts.
'I Knew I Had to Help Him'
But the effect of Kenan's letter on Montanti was profound. "I
walked out of that office and my emotions were scattered all over
First Avenue. I knew that I had to do all that I could to help
him."
She contacted airlines, hospitals, and a prosthetic company for
donations and was able to bring Kenan and his mother to New York
City one month later. The visitors stayed at Montanti's home for
three months, during which time Kenan received two new arms, a leg,
and a new life.
Others Join to Aid Children
After Kenan returned to Bosnia, Montanti began to seek other
children who were the victims of war and natural disasters. She
raised money to travel to Bosnia and visited orphanages and
hospitals there and brought back a second child. The first three
children she assisted stayed with her in her home during their
treatment. Soon after she founded the Global Medical Relief Fund
(GMRF) with the mission of bringing hope and help to children who
are missing or have lost use of their limbs, have been severely
burned, or are otherwise damaged due to the atrocities of war,
natural disaster, or illness.
In the past ten years, the 501 (3) nonprofit organization has
helped restore the lives of 50 children around the world.
Although Montanti is the GMRF's sole employee, such great work
does not occur without the help of many hands, and Montanti has
assembled quite a team. The Mission at Mount Loretto in Staten
Island, New York, gave GMRF housing for the children and their
guardians during their stay in the United States and Ikea and Home
Depot refurbished the facility. GMRF counts on numerous individual
donors to get children and their families here for treatment and
the Columbian Presbyterian Hospital donates medical assistance for
children with eye injuries. Of course, it is the medical care that
is critical to the mission, and the Shriners Children's Hospital in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been an unwavering supporter of
GMRF, providing surgery, prosthetics, and rehabilitation to
Montanti's kids free of charge.
Jeff Eichhorn, CPO, director of Orthotics and Prosthetics at the
Shriners Hospital, is Montanti's partner there. "Elissa brings
these people of little means over to America, brings them to the
Shriners Hospital, and then I fit them with the types of
prosthetics and orthotics that they need to go back to their
country," said Eichhorn. "Her work is pretty unusual & for her
to put all of her efforts into getting these kids over here. That
is why we work so well together. She is able to get the kids here,
and Shriners is able to provide care free of charge. It works
exceptionally well for the kids, the families, and all involved.
Her efforts have been quite ambitious, and Shriners is able to meet
those needs."
Since GMRF involves children, each year program alumni need to
be brought back to the US to deal with growth issues and refitting.
"Anywhere from one to two years, the kids need to come back in,"
said Eichhorn. "There are little things that can be done to keep
them in their prostheses a little longer, but really, they need to
come back every two years."
GMRF has aided children from Bosnia, El Salvador, Liberia,
Mexico City, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Iraq. Help also has been
provided to children from Indonesia, due to the tsunami
disaster.
Kenan: Success and Inspiration
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Photos courtesy of Shriners Hospitals for Children, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. |
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Kenan, Montanti's inspiration and adopted-like
son, now attends college in the US and lives with her. "Kenan is a
great guy," said Eichhorn. "He has finished a degree in computer
programming; and his abilities to manipulate the prostheses are
amazing, considering he is a bilateral amputee. His ability to
function with his prostheses is high. He does extraordinarily well
and gives the other kids coming here great hope, when they see what
he has done and accomplished, that they will be able to achieve the
same goals."
Montanti added, "Kenan is the pulse and the inspiration for my
charity."
More Need Help
"The world is so fragile and complicated," she continued. "The
children who need help are just lined up. I am getting ready to
bring four Pakistani children. I have an Iraqi boy. I have children
from the tsunami ... but as small as I am, I am really making a big
difference," said Montanti proudly.
"She is an absolutely wonderful individual," said Eichhorn. "She
has such a drive to get these kids over to the United States and
get them help. She is an amazing woman."
For more information about GMRF, visit www.globmed.org 
Table Of Contents - April 2006
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