By Jessica Rowe
A free youth health clinic has opened in Christchurch, dedicated to a popular practitioner who died in the February quake.
Dr Husam Sabar Al-Ani was a passionate doctor, and was lost in the CTV building collapse. He is mourned by his wife Wasan Al-Lani and her three daughters.
The family raised $25,000 to help the centre re-open. It will provide young people at risk with free medical consultations, peer support, and alcohol and drug counselling.
His daughters say re-opening the clinic will help them cope with losing their father.
“His way of coping was to do something about something, so our way of coping with such a massive loss was to do a massive thing, and a massive good thing,” says Azza Al-Lani.
The 55-year-old Dr Husam had been working in the CTV building for two months before its catastrophic collapse, and was determined to help those between 10 and 25.
Prior to that, Dr Husam worked along side Sue Bagshaw who helped set up the one-stop shop determined to carry on his good work.
“Yes, bad things happened but this is a good thing that has arisen,” she says.
Dr Bagshaw says the centre will “continue in the generosity in the man we're remembering today”.
A plaque at the centre pays tribute to Dr Hasum, celebrating his work as they continue to help Christchurch’s troubled youth.
3 News