• Home
  • Blog
  • About AKUAANA
    • Who are we?
    • Status and Structure
    • Constitution and Bylaws
    • Leadership
    • Executive Council
    • Board of Advisors
    • Contact Us
  • Alumni
    • Featured Alumni
    • Meetings & Reunions
    • AKUAANA Annual Meetings
    • Upcoming Meetings
    • Past Meetings
    • Advocacy Committee
    • Electives Committee
  • Resources
    • Discussion Board
    • Request Transcript
    • AKUAANA-JRM Scholarship
    • Visiting Faculty Program
    • Reports & Minutes
    • Match Lists
    • Links
  • Membership
    • Eligibility
    • Benefits
    • Current Membership
    • Join Now
    • Renew
  • Log In

Aga Khan University Alumni Association of North America

Connecting AKU Alumni in North America


You are here: Home / Archives for General

Annual Alumni Meeting, 2018

August 28, 2018 By Saeed

36831834_1625599904155277_8882900238315028480_o

Dear Alumni,

A large number of AKU alumni and their families gathered in July at the APPNA 41st Annual Convention, 2018 at the stately Anatole Hilton in Dallas, Texas. The Executive Council presented their reports in the AKUAANA General Body Meeting. Minutes of the General Body Meeting are available on the website.

The General Body Meeting was followed by the AKUAANA Annual Dinner which was attended by more than 200 alumni and spouses and featured milestone celebrations of Classes of AKU ‘88, AKU ‘93 and AKU ‘98. The Class of ‘88 celebrated its 30-year milestone. It was inspiring to have members of our first graduating class present at the meeting. Dr. Shahid Shafi spoke passionately and eloquently at the dinner and challenged us to reach our maximal potential.

We had more than 20 alumni each from the class of ’93 and class of ’98 attend and celebrate their 25-year and 20-year milestones respectively. Both classes announced gifts of $250,000, each, to AKU to mark this occasion.

36800532_1625599870821947_7478493576595243008_o

Dr. Ayesha Mian ’88 the Dean of Students, Mr. Abdul Haq Wahedna from Alumni Affairs and Mr. Shaikh Ali Hussain from Resource Development represented AKU at the meeting and hosted a well-attended breakfast for AKU alumni the morning after the dinner.

Many of us were meeting for the first time after graduating from AKU. We were struck at how comfortable we felt interacting with old friends and colleagues and how the years just fell away as if we had never been apart. Spouses and families were equally involved, and it was great to see our children forming their own ties of friendship. A silent auction of artwork by our own graduates raised funds for philanthropic causes.

We look forward to seeing many more of you at the next AKUAANA Annual Meeting during the APPNA 42nd Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida in July 2019.

Our best regards,

Namirah Jamshed, President
Noor Afshan, Secretary
Faisal Cheema, Treasurer

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Posted on August 28, 2018 at 11:24 am

Featured Alumnus: Dr. Aasma Shaukat, AKU ’98

June 10, 2018 By Saeed

Dr. Aasma Shaukat

Dr. Aasma Shaukat

As part of the anniversary celebrations of our alumni, we are highlighting an alumnus from each class achieving a milestone. As part of the 20th year anniversary for the Class of 1998, we kick off this series with Aasma Shaukat, Class of 1998. She has achieved tremendous success since graduating and we are very excited to present this profile to you.

Faisal Qureshi, ’93
Past President, 2016 – 17

====================

1. Give me a quick summary of what you do exactly?

I am section chief of the gastroenterology section at the VA Hospital in Minnesota and I help run the GI fellowship at the University of Minnesota. I am a clinical researcher with focus on colon cancer screening and prevention.

2. What aspects of your education at AKU helped you the most in deciding your future trajectory?

AKU instilled in me the ability to think critically, question the status quo and come up with research questions and big picture questions that need to be answered to solve the world’s largest public health problems. AKU provided me with a well-rounded exposure to basic and clinical fields.

3. What started you in gastroenterology?

I developed a strong interest in clinical research towards final year and pursued an MPH and post-doc at Johns Hopkins before my clinical training. During that time, I developed an interest in colon cancer prevention, where I saw a large need and potentially big impact in reducing cancer incidence and mortality. I went into residency with the plan of pursuing gastroenterology and focusing on colon cancer both clinical and from a research interest.

4. What type of community work do you participate in?

I’ve worked with non-profits, such as Preventing Colon Cancer (PCC) to improve colon cancer awareness and screening. March is colon cancer awareness month and I have written articles for newspapers, given radio interviews and organized local events through the University to promote colon cancer prevention.

5. What about national work in gastroenterology?

I’ve served on various committees for our three main GI societies on work related to quality metrics for colonoscopy, enhancing colonoscopy practice and other issues important to gastroenterologists. I am the American College of Gastroenterology’s Governor for Minnesota, which means I get to collect information on issues faced by gastroenterologists in the state and present them at a national forum to look for solutions.
I have also met legislators in DC to advocate for improving research funding and removing barriers to colon cancer screening. I am a member of the US multi-society task force, which writes guidelines for colon cancer screening and surveillance for the US. I am a member of the VA’s field advisory committee, that advises central office on policy for the entire VA.
It seems like a lot and it is, but it really gives me an opportunity to influence policy in our field.

6. What advice would you give young graduates from AKU and especially our young women in choosing and maintaining careers? How about mentorship opportunities?

Follow your heart and if there’s a field or area that really pulls at your heart, pursue it. Try and see where you’d like to be in 10 years and set long term and short terms goals to get you there. Never take no for an answer and ask for help.
There is nothing that women can’t do these days as effectively as men. In fact, recent research indicates women may do many things in medicine better than men! Women should not feel they have to give up anything, and it is possible to have a work life balance, a family and a successful academic career.
My husband is a gastroenterologist as well, which makes for a busy household. It does take a village to raise a family! To make it work, I rely on help. I have a nanny, good friends I can count and occasionally rely on grandmas when in a pinch. I do online shopping, even for groceries and have them delivered. I plan the week ahead and do some prep work for meals and tasks on the weekend. My husband and I have a ‘divide and conquer’ approach to complete tasks, and we frequently trade off. We also try to be mindful of giving each other some personal time to do things that we are passionate about. My husband enjoys biking and I enjoy running and we have set days to do these activities.
We have to be creative some days to fit it all in, and it doesn’t always work, but we do our best. For example, some days when my youngest one wakes up at the crack of dawn, I put her in a jogging stroller and go for a run. Some days I will go for a short run after putting kids to bed. Being flexible helps but keep your goals in mind. I also travel a lot for presentations, conferences and meetings, which is tough with the kids’ schedule, but lining up help in advance helps. It is definitely a give and take, and as long as you are willing to be realistic in your expectations and organized, you can make it work. I am very fortunate to have a husband who supports me as much as I support him.

Aasma Shaukat and family

7. You pursued an MPH very early after graduating from AKU. How did this come about? What drove you to do this? How did it impact your long-term success?

I was inspired by several clinical faculty in medicine, psychiatry and yes, CHS. The field trips to ‘kachi abadi’ clinics during the CHS rotation exposed me to the concept of population health, and how we need to consider healthcare for the severely disadvantaged. I was also exposed to thinking about a clinical problem and framing it into a research project during the research project portion of the rotation. I knew I wanted to be a clinical researcher. During my electives one of my faculty told me that if I was serious about research I should pursue an MPH. I wanted to do it right away, and not interrupt clinical training.
It also helped timing-wise, since we graduate off cycle to be able to apply for residency. What better use of that time than an MPH! I came back from my electives in my final year and told all my class fellows that MPH is the way to go. I took the GRE and was fortunate to be accepted at Johns Hopkins that same year.
I focused on Epidemiology and Biostatistics during my MPH and learned the statistical software STATA. That enabled me to conduct studies independently and get an early start on my career. The MPH has been tremendously helpful in my career, for writing papers, asking a focused clinical question and designing study method and clinical trials. I am also able to appraise medical literature and research studies critically for patient care.

8. How many women division chiefs are there from AKU? Looking back, what aspects of your time at AKU prepped you to make the career leaps you’ve made?

I know of very few. Nasia (Class of ’95) is the chief of research at University of Wisconsin; My colleague Ayesha Irshad (Class of ’98) is the chair of psychiatry at AKU. I met Anita Zaidi, who is chair of Pediatrics at AKU now, but I got to know her before she left the US. I think AKU breeds ambition and that is what influenced me.

9. Writing grants and successful funding can be quite daunting; what tips do you have for our audience?

It is daunting! But like anything else, practice, practice, practice. Try to write every day, and like any other muscle, it improves with time. Try writing papers, reviews or anything that may interest you. Write with purpose and clarity. The best grants are the simplest ones. There are also grant writing workshops that can be helpful. Don’t be afraid of failure. Learn to handle rejection. The only thing funded people have over you is more rejections. Get a research team together if possible and ask for feedback on your writing.

10. Looking back at your still very academically active career, were there any specific branch points/mentors that helped you make those correct decisions?

Dr. Faiz Ahmed was chair of Psychiatry and mentor for my student research project that I presented at a student conference in Germany. I really enjoyed that experience and those were the earliest seeds of a research career. During my elective, after listening to my ideas, my attending suggested I do an MPH, which I decided to pursue. That was a pivotal moment. Dr. Aamir Khan (Class of 93) was a post-doc at Johns Hopkins and he gave me great advice on career and life! He also helped me find a research position.

11. Do you think that the balance changes as women start residency, then become faculty and then have older kids?

It sure does. Having a family and kids really changes your focus and adds complexity to your life. But there is also a richness that it adds and I do believe you can make them work together. Get help, get family and create a good social network. Don’t feel guilty about spending time with family or taking time off. I always have to remind myself that academic life is like running a marathon, not a sprint. You are in it for the long run, so take time and enjoy the journey.

12. If an AKU grad wanted to get involved with your work, what should they do? How do they prepare and how can they reach you?

Contact me and we can discuss your goals and interests and come up with something valuable for you to do. To prepare, it is always helpful to think of focused questions you want answered, that may be critical to your career at that point, and also have an idea of what you’d like to do. A well thought-out, put together plan is the first step to plotting your success to that 10-year goal.

13. What personal traits do you think have helped you succeed?

Hard work, perseverance, handling rejection and patience. I think we all have a healthy dose of grit in us, much of which was instilled during the (often grueling) years of AKU.

14. What do you think of AKUAANA? Where do you think the alumni organization is successful and what do you think it should be doing?

I support AKUAANA’s missions and I am very thankful for the services it provides for AKU graduates and alumni. I think it is successful at connecting people, providing good role models and inspiring the younger AKU generations. It could formalize the mentorship and pairing of students to alumni in North America. I have found AKU alumni to be very helpful and supportive and I try to do the same.

====================

The AKUAANA website will feature an AKU alumnus from the classes celebrating their 20th, 25th and 30th year anniversary, over the year. Our aim is for profiles to highlight various aspects of alumni careers/lives – academic and research, clinical, private practice, political achievements, social activism, philanthropy etc.

Profiles of other alumni highlighted on the website over the time can be viewed under the “Featured Alumni” category.

In order to nominate someone or self-nominate, send your nomination and information by email to president@akuaana.org

 

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Posted on June 10, 2018 at 9:11 pm

AKUAANA Logo Competition

March 28, 2018 By drjamshed

It’s time that AKUAANA has its own logo!

Objective

AKUAANA invites, AKU Alumni and their children to submit a logo design for AKUAANA. Our goal is to develop a visual identity that reflects our constitutions vision. Our vision is  to promote and facilitate healthcare, educational, social, and philanthropic missions of our community, and to nurture enduring ties with our alma mater the Aga Khan University.

Submission deadline: June 30, 2018

Selection Criteria and Reward

AKUAANA general body members will select a winner and approved by the Executive Council. The winner AKU Alumni who submits a logo concept will be invited to  attend the AKUAANA alumni dinner in  2018 or 2019 for free. AKUAANA will provide  two tickets for the reunion dinner.

Please submit your designs to both Noor Afshan Khan ’96, and Abdul Basit Saeed ’07, at secretary@akuaana.org and web.manager@akuaana.org.

We look forward to your submissions.

Namirah Jamshed ’96 (President 2018-19)

Habib Chotani ’95 (President 2016-17)

Noor Afshan Khan ’96 (Secretary)

Faisal Cheema ’00 (Treasurer)

Abdul Basit Saeed ’07 (Web Manager)

 

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Posted on March 28, 2018 at 2:59 pm

Hematology/Oncology Position in St. Louis – Mar, 2018

March 23, 2018 By Saeed

Dear alumni,

A position for a Hematology-Oncology Physician is available, with a 7-physician single-specialty group in sub-urban/major Metro city of St Louis.

The clinic is in a state-of-the-art outpatient Cancer Center situated within the hospital campus. The program is a nationally recognized NCI-designated community oncology clinical research program. Inpatient is limited to a single tertiary care hospital. This job is not J1 eligible.

If interested, please contact Atif Shafqat, ’93 at atif.shafqat@bjc.org

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Posted on March 23, 2018 at 2:43 pm

AKUAANA President’s Message to Alumni: January 2018

January 3, 2018 By Saeed

Dear Alumni,

Happy New Year!

The theme for the next two years for our Alumni Association is “Alumni Engagement”. As such we want all AKUites to participate as we grow and expand our Association. The past presidents have laid the ground work to make this possible. We plan to continue their efforts and more. Our mission, vision and values remain the same as what our constitution states. However, this year we want to go a step further and bring value through actively engaging our alumni in AKUAANA activities. We hope that this will bring value to you as  members and fulfill your need to give back to our local communities here in North America, to Pakistan and to AKU. For those who are not members, join us, so you can participate in your associations’ activities.

If you have any questions, comments or thoughts, please reach out to any member of the team.

AKUAANA Administration, 2018 - 19
DesignationNameClassEmail Address
PresidentNamirah Jamshed1996
SecretaryNoor Afshan Khan1996
TreasurerFaisal Habib Cheema2000
Web ManagerAbdul Basit Saeed2007

Looking forward to seeing many of you in Dallas, TX, July 6th, at the Annual AKUAANA Reunion!

Best wishes,

Namirah Jamshed ’96
President, AKUAANA (2018-19)

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Posted on January 3, 2018 at 3:27 pm

Outgoing AKUAANA President’s Message to Alumni, December 2017

December 26, 2017 By Saeed

Dear Alumni,

Happy holidays everyone!

Your Alumni Association’s new Executive Council will be taking over on January 1, 2018. I wanted to personally thank all of you for the support that my team and I have received over the last two years. It has been an honor to serve you all.

Our intent has always been to grow AKUAANA and provide value to our members. We have been met with many successes and some unfinished business. Our numbers have grown from about a 100 members to now over 200 active members and the traffic to our Facebook page and website is now in the thousands. Abdul Basit Saeed (2007), our Web and Social Media Manager, has been the rock around which the technical aspects of our web presence have been built and the organization will always be indebted to him.

Over the past two years our major focus was community building, and to achieve this we organized multiple regional meetings in 2016 and 2017. This has greatly enhanced our networking. Our alumni are now more informed about the work the Alumni Association has been doing. I would like to thank all the alumni who volunteered in hosting these regional reunions. We also hosted very successful annual reunions in Washington DC and Orlando FL.

We have been working with the leadership at AKUMC to help our alumni with issues that arise periodically. In fact, with the efforts of the Executive Council and our alumni, one of our fresh alumni was able to start residency on time this year rather than missing a year and potential residency spot.

AKUAANA also initiated its first project with AKU in August 2016. It is a project for the treatment of anemia in pregnancy by screening pregnant females and treating them with iron supplements and IV iron (Venofer). I would like to congratulate our Alumni who have raised around $70,000 dollars for this project. This would fund our project for a total of 4 years. A short video of the AKUAANA Outreach Clinic in Ibrahim Hyderi, and the most recent Impact Report of the project are available on the website.

This year we also partnered with APPNA for their National Food Pantry Project. We raised over $4,000 and APPNA matched it with $2,000. AKUAANA members spent a day volunteering at the Maryland Food Bank and also gave the check to the pantry.

The devastation in Houston with Hurricane Harvey affected a number of our Alumni as we have a significant concentration of Alumni in the area. We developed an emergency committee who reached out to alumni in Houston and offered them help. A number of Alumni in Houston in safe areas opened their home to accommodate other Alumni. We raised $10,000 for the Mayor of Houston Hurricane Harvey Fund also. This is a true testament to our AKUAANA community and I would like to congratulate everyone who worked and volunteered their time.

We enter a new phase in the coming years. The need for increased involvement of the younger classes, continued membership drives and defining our mission are the critical components of success. There are a number of new initiatives that are in the works.

I wish President-Elect Namirah Jamshed (1996) and her team the best of success, and thank you all again.

Best regards
Habib Chotani (1995)
AKUAANA President, 2016-2017

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Posted on December 26, 2017 at 2:59 pm

AKUAANA Regional Reunion in Houston, Texas on October 14, 2017 [write-up]

October 31, 2017 By Saeed

Azam Kundi ’92, Homayon Sidiq ’92, Nooruddin Punjwani ’95, Athar Qureshi ’96, Abbas Jafri ’97, Faisal H. Cheema ’00, Fyza Piracha ’01 and Sabeen Najam ’02 hosted a terrific regional reunion for AKU alumni in the Greater Houston region, on October 14, 2017. They had a fantastic turnout, with 115 alumni attending the event. The event was attended by Habib Chotani ’95, current President of AKUAANA, who has shared a brief recap of the event.
Abdul Basit Saeed, ’07
Web Manager, AKUAANA

====================

Dear AKUAANA Family,

We had an amazing turnout at the AKUAANA Regional Reunion in Houston on October 14, 2017, with people coming from Houston, Austin, Dallas and other adjoining areas. In attendance were more than 265 people, including 115 alumni representing classes over a span of three decades (our first graduating Class of 1988 to a student of 2020).

The event was very well organized along with kids’ activities including balloon making, face painting and a kids-friendly dinner. The kids obviously had a blast.

Dr Javed Akhtar, AKU faculty now residing in Texas was our guest of honor.

Dr Pervaiz Iqbal, Acting Dean of AKU, was able to send the following video message to the alumni:

 

We greatly appreciate ITHP-VCare Foundation for sponsoring this event; without their financial support, this event would simply not have been possible.

The work that has been done by AKUAANA over the last few years was presented.

We also showed a short video of the AKUAANA Outreach Clinic in Ibrahim Hyderi, and presented the most recent Impact Report of the project.

 

Namirah Jamshed, ’96, our incoming President for 2108 – 19 introduced herself and requested alumni in attendance to join AKUAANA and become lifetime members.

During the devastation of Hurricane Harvey many of the Houston alumni were personally affected. Our AKUAANA initiative, in collaboration with the Alumni in the area decided to contribute to the rebuilding efforts for the city of Houston. We are pleased to announce that AKUAANA raised almost $10,000! The money has already been donated to the Houston Mayor’s office. Efforts by the AKUAANA Executive Council, in conjunction with the local alumni is a great example of how we can come together under our Alumni Association, organize and give back to our local community.

After a delicious dinner we had entertainment from Asad Abbas ’89 and Fida Khan ’97. Thank you to both of them and especially the musicians who came with Fida all the way from Austin for the event.

Mohammad Sarfaraz, ’90 was gracious in taking over the photography and for taking amazing snaps.

Congratulations to the Hurricane Harvey Fund Group and Reunion Organizing Committee (the same group of people helped with both endeavours) for such a great team effort! I can’t really thank you all enough for arranging this, Azam Kundi ’92, Homayon Sidiq ’92, Nooruddin Punjwani ’95, Athar Qureshi ’96, Abbas Jafri ’97, Faisal Cheema ’00, Fyza Piracha ’01 and Sabeen Najam ’02, our Organizing Committee who worked tirelessly and made this event a huge success and the largest regional reunion in the history of AKUAANA.

Hope we can continue our tradition of regional reunions all around the US and build our network stronger.

Habib Chotani
Class of ’95
President, AKUAANA

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Posted on October 31, 2017 at 2:16 pm

AKUAANA Hurricane Harvey Task Force calls for unprecedented fundraising for flood victims

September 5, 2017 By Saeed

Aga Khan University Alumni Association of North America (AKUAANA) Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund: Let’s make a difference!

Dear alumni and friends,

Hurricane Harvey’s unprecedented flooding and its catastrophic aftermath calls for urgent help. Southern Texas is home to approximately 100 AKUMC Alumni. While some AKU Alumni’s homes were flooded and several had to follow orders for mandatory evacuations, other AKU Alumni have already set highest examples of civic duties by opening their homes for friends and assisting other flood victims.

AKUAANA Hurricane Harvey Task Force has carefully deliberated the means by which to support and help those who are affected. Alumni directly affected were thankful for our outreach to them. They felt confident that they could cope with the damages and suggested that any fundraising efforts be extended to community in general.

The Task Force has recommended that AKUAANA, with the help of fellow Alumni, offer support to the City of Houston. As the initial phases of disaster recovery continue, this next phase of Community Development will support the local community and provide opportunities for long-term engagement. Mayor Sylvester Turner and County Judge Ed Emmett have established the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund that will accept tax-deductible flood relief donations for victims affected by the recent floods. The fund will be housed at the Greater Houston Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity.

We have set an initial goal of $50,000/- – to be raised within 15 days due to the immediate need.

Suggested Minimum Donations

  • $500 [Practicing Physicians]
  • $100 [Fellows]
  • $50   [Residents]

Please note that all donations will be TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

Credit Card: (Preferred)

  1. Visit: https://ghcf.org/hurricane-relief/
  2. To track our collective effort please MENTION AKUAANA IN THE FUNDRAISING CODE

Check

  1. Write checks to: GREATER HOUSTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
  2. For (MEMO): AKUAANA Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund
  3. Mail to:

AKUAANA
C/O Faisal H. Cheema
1711 Old Spanish Trail, #130
Houston, TX 77054

We are confident and hope that all AKU Alumni will support us in this great opportunity to give back to our fellow citizens of our adopted homeland.

AKUAANA HURRICANE HARVEY TASK FORCE MEMBERS

Current Executive Council: Habib Chotani ‘95, Rehan Khan ‘94, Amber Syed ‘94, Namirah Jamshed ‘96
Incoming Executive Council: Noor Afshan Khan ‘96, Faisal Cheema ‘00 (Houston, TX)
Houston-based AKU Alumni: Abbas Jafri ‘97, Azam Kundi ‘92, Nooruddin Punjwani ‘95, Athar Qureshi ‘96, Homayon Sidiq ‘92
AKUAANA Web Manager: Abdul Basit Saeed ‘07
APPNA Secretary: Rizwan Khalid ‘99

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Posted on September 5, 2017 at 7:19 am

AKUAANA Hurricane Harvey Task Force: 08/30/2017 Update

September 1, 2017 By Saeed

Dear alumni and friends,

The AKUANNA Hurricane Harvey Task Force continues to work hard to assist those affected by the flood. Following is an update of our meeting last night which included the Alumni residing in Houston.

PHASE 1 – Assuring safety of, and offering immediate assistance to our alumni 

With the assistance of the Houston Alumni, other alumni and AKU, we have identified those who reside in the affected area including Alumni, Fellows and Residents. We are also in the process of identifying any AKU medical students in Houston for electives.

94 Alumni have been identified who live in Houston or surrounding areas. Only 15 AKU alumni remain that we have been unable to contact. At least three Alumni have significant damage to their house. All three are safe, Alhamdulillah.

Alumni in the area continue to provide accommodation for any who need assistance.

PHASE 2 – Medical Volunteering

We are proud of our AKU Alumni who are assisting in rescuing people locally, and providing medical care at the local medical centers.

Additionally, AKU Alumni have volunteered in the local cities to assist with medical care for the evacuees at the Convention Center and others are raising funds through the city and local mosques.

APPNA continues to provide opportunity for volunteering as well for the same purpose.

PHASE 3 – Public Donations

AKU Alumni have donated to multiple organizations to assist with flood relief. With our assistance, APPNA is able to provide food bags for those affected and seeking shelter.

The AKUANNA Hurricane Harvey Task force, with the Houston Alumni’s help, is also identifying any further funding needs for the local community. We will keep you updated regarding this effort.

Thank you to all those who have assisted us in making this happen, especially the alumni in Houston. We are proud of what you do.

Stay Safe.

AKUAANA Hurricane Harvey Disaster Task Force

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Posted on September 1, 2017 at 5:12 am

AKUAANA Hurricane Harvey Task Force

August 29, 2017 By Saeed

Dear alumni and friends,

Hurricane Harvey has brought devastation to Texas of a magnitude not seen before. It has affected many, including our AKU Alumni and the Pakistani community. As the storm continues, our thoughts are with them and all affected by the hurricane. A large number of people are displaced and seeking shelter in other cities. Hospitals are being evacuated in an effort to keep patients and the vulnerable safe.

The AKUAANA Executive Council had an emergency meeting tonight, which was also attended by the incoming Executive Council. We were also able to get a few Alumni from Houston on the call, including Nooruddin Punjwani (’95), Faisal Cheema (’00), Athar Qureshi (’96) and Rizwan Khalid (’99). An AKUAANA Hurricane Harvey Task Force has been formed on an urgent basis, which is in communication with alumni in the affected areas around the clock, and are working on supporting our alumni who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey. The Task Force has formulated a working plan, divided into two phases.

PHASE 1 – Assuring safety of, and offering immediate assistance to our alumni

AKUAANA’s immediate response is to make sure our alumni are safe and to help them in any way possible in this difficult situation. AKU Alumni residing in Houston have volunteered in helping other AKU alumni with immediate relief including accommodation. Nooruddin Punjwani ’95, Athar Qureshi ’96, Faisal Cheema ’00 have volunteered to help in this regard. Any AKU alumni in need of help or who would like to volunteer, please contact me directly at president@akuaana.org

We are also developing a list of all the AKU alumni in Houston and surrounding areas. We would greatly appreciate if alumni living in the affected areas who get our message to please reach out to us with their information and also give information of other alumni in their area. This will help AKUAANA’s current efforts to reach out to our alumni by calling them individually, and making sure that they are safe or whether they need help and assistance.

PHASE 2 – Medical Volunteering

Some of us may want to participate in medical volunteering. For those who do, one option available to us is through APPNA via their Medical Corp Volunteer Program which may include medical assistance or distribution of goods etc. To sign up as a volunteer, please visit: APPNA Medical Corps Volunteer Registration for Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief (link expired).

PHASE 3 – Public Donations

If you wish to support relief efforts in the region you can donate through APPNA and indicate your AKU alumni status at:

https://www.instantreg.com/appnatemplate2/public-donations-2017

OR

There are several reputable organizations accepting contributions. These include:

American Red Cross
United Way of Greater Houston
The Dallas Foundation
SPCA of Texas

Our thoughts are with the AKU families and thousands of people who have been directly impacted, as well as with those whose families and friends live in the region.

Stay safe.

AKUAANA Hurricane Harvey Disaster Task Force

Habib Chotani: President, AKUAANA

Namirah Jamshed: President Elect, AKUAANA

Rehan Khan: Secretary, AKUAANA

Amber Syed: Treasurer, AKUAANA

Noor Afshan Khan: Incoming Secretary, AKUAANA

Faisal Cheema: Incoming Treasurer AKUAANA (residing in Houston)

Athar Qureshi: AKUAANA member (residing in Houston)

Nooruddin Punjwani: AKUAANA member (residing in Houston)

Abdul Basit Saeed: Web Manager, AKUAANA

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Posted on August 29, 2017 at 10:52 am

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • …
  • 13
  • Next Page »
Donate to AKUAANA
Donate to AKUAANA

Follow Us Online

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo

Job / Career Opportunities

Job Opportunity for AKU Alumni at AKU Karachi Pakistan

Hematology/Oncology Position in St. Louis – Mar, 2018

Archives: By Category

Archives: By Month

AKUAANA

About AKUAANA
Current Leadership
Status and Structure
Executive Council
Contact Us

Chapters

North America
Asia

Follow Us Online

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
© 2010 – 2025
Aga Khan University Alumni Association of North America
All Rights Reserved

Based in the US, AKUAANA represents the AKU Medical College Alumni in North America