Those Who Stand Between Life and Loss: A Tribute to the Colorectal Surgery Department, SKIMS Soura
By Shahid Qadri
There are moments in life when hospitals cease to be merely buildings of medicine. They become places where families learn the meaning of hope, patience, courage and humanity. For our family, the Department of Colorectal Surgery at SKIMS Soura has become one such place. From the moment my mother was admitted, we witnessed not only medical expertise but an extraordinary commitment to patient care. Behind every successful procedure is a team that works quietly, patiently and relentlessly—often long after the rest of the world has gone to sleep. I would like to place on record my heartfelt gratitude to the frontline doctors of the department, particularly Dr. Raouf, Dr. Yaqoob, Dr. Aga Syed Ahmad, Dr. Jireel, Dr. Raj Kumar, and the entire assisting and nursing staff.
Each of them contributes something distinctive to the difficult journey of colorectal surgery. Dr. Raouf’s keenness and clinical commitment, the reassuring and smiling presence of Dr. Yaqoob, and the collective professionalism of the entire team provide patients and their families with something invaluable: confidence at a time when fear is often overwhelming.
What touched me most was the manner in which patients are treated—not merely as medical cases, but as human beings. In a department dealing with complicated illnesses, major surgeries, uncertainty, pain and the constant possibility of complications, maintaining patience and compassion is itself a remarkable form of service.
The department witnesses enormous rush, limited space, demanding schedules and countless challenges. Yet the doctors and supporting staff continue to navigate these circumstances with remarkable composure. They face the volley of practical and clinical challenges that accompany patient care and still strive to ensure that every patient receives attention. The work does not end with surgery.
Pre-operative preparation, the operation itself, post-operative monitoring, risk management, recovery and follow-up—every stage demands vigilance. The repeated emphasis on follow-up is a reminder that healing is a journey, not an event. I was particularly moved by the meticulous approach of Dr. Yaqoob. His patient diary, his attention to individual cases and the manner in which he keeps track of patients reflect a level of personal responsibility that families remember for years. He has a remarkable way of making patients feel that they are not simply another name on a hospital list. There is a sense that each patient is his own patient—someone deserving of attention, reassurance and care.
And then there are those who rarely receive public acknowledgement: the night-duty staff, nurses, ward boys, attendants, cleaners and other supporting personnel.
While families sleep beside their loved ones, these men and women remain awake, attending to patients, maintaining cleanliness, responding to calls and helping the department function through the night. Their contribution deserves equal recognition.Healthcare is often discussed in terms of technology, infrastructure and medical procedures. But my experience at the colorectal department has reminded me that medicine is also about human touch. It is about a doctor patiently answering a frightened family member.
It is about a smile when someone desperately needs reassurance. It is about checking on a patient when nobody is watching.
It is about remaining calm when circumstances become difficult. It is about leaving behind, even temporarily, one’s own comfort and personal happiness so that another family can experience a little peace.
Doctors and healthcare workers may sometimes become accustomed to these responsibilities because they perform them every day. But for a family standing outside an operation theatre, waiting for news about a loved one, every act of care carries enormous meaning. My family’s journey through the colorectal department has made me look at the medical profession differently. These doctors and healthcare workers are not merely performing a job. In their finest moments, they become angels of hope on the human front, standing between illness and recovery, fear and reassurance, uncertainty and hope.
No words can adequately compensate for the sacrifices made by those who serve patients through difficult circumstances. So, from the heart of a family that has experienced your care:
Thank you, Dr. Raouf.
Thank you, Dr. Yaqoob.
Thank you, Dr. Aga Syed Ahmad.
Thank you, Dr. Jibreel.
Thank you, Dr. Raj Kumar.
And thank you to every doctor, nurse, ward boy, attendant, cleaner and assisting member of the colorectal surgery team.
May Allah bless your parents, your families and all those who have nurtured you into the human beings and professionals you are today.
May He give you strength to continue serving humanity, protect you from every hardship, and reward every unseen moment of sacrifice.
For saving lives, for holding hands, for answering questions, for bearing the rush, for enduring the pressure and, above all, for treating patients with dignity and compassion—our heartfelt gratitude.
You may forget the names of many patients you treat.
But families never forget the doctors who stood beside them when they were afraid. Thank you all
Shahid Qadri is a freelance writer and corporate banker.
Email: findqadri@gmail.com
