A Heartfelt Thank You from a Grateful Heart
Dear Prof. Dr. Nadeem Akhtar,
My name is Ali, and I am 12 years old today because of you. I was born without an esophagus, and my parents tell me how worried they were about my future. They were scared I wouldn’t survive. But then they found you—a miracle in their darkest time.
When I was just one year old, you gave me the gift of life by performing a surgery I could never truly understand back then but will always cherish now. You replaced my missing esophagus with a gastric pull-up procedure, and you gave me something I didn’t have: the ability to live, eat, and grow like every other child.
Even though I was too little to know what was happening, my parents tell me about how carefully you planned my surgery, how steady your hands were, and how much love you poured into your work. They said you never gave up, even when the odds were tough.
Because of you, I go to school, eat my favorite foods, and dream big about my future. Because of you, my family smiles every single day, knowing I have a second chance at life.
Prof. Nadeem, I don’t have enough words to thank you. You are not just my doctor—you are my hero. You gave me a gift I will never take for granted. I hope to grow up and make you proud one day, and maybe even help people the way you’ve helped me.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for saving my life.
