American Lebanese Medical Association

Background/History
The American Lebanese Medical Association (ALMA) was established in 1994 in the state of Massachusetts.

• To develop a society through which physicians and other health care professionals who share Lebanese heritage or a humanitarian interest in Lebanon and its people may come together and undertake concrete projects to improve the health and well being of all of Lebanon's diverse religious and cultural communities.
• To hold an annual medical conventions in Lebanon to enhance advanced training and promote scientific exchanges between American and Lebanese medical professionals.
• To foster the creation and development of academic institutions and health care facilities of excellence in Medicine and Surgery in Lebanon.
• To build, in conjunction with the Lebanese Medical Association, a Doctor's Library, to provide access to advanced publications, books, magazines and audio-visual material to Lebanese medical and health care professionals.
• To assist, through publication, subscription and wide dissemination, Lebanese scientific publications, such as the Lebanese Medical Journal, in order to reach a wider audience and publish high quality scientific material.
  

Organizational Infrastructure
ALMA is governed by a 15 member Board of Directors (four from California). They hold an annual meeting.

Activities
ALMA sponsors an International conference, has a website (www.almamater.org) and publishes the Lebanese Medical Journal.

Armenian American Medical Society of California

Background/History
The Armenian community in California was growing very quickly in numbers during the 1970s and 1980s due to Armenian immigration from many parts of the world. The formation of an Armenian medical society was a necessity in conjunction with many other Armenian medical societies throughout the world like those in France, Lebanon, and Canada.

Mission
The mission of AAMSC is to cultivate and develop professional, social and friendly relationships amongst its members, to contribute towards the improvement of the health services rendered to the Armenian community in the Diaspora and Armenia. Since its inception, the Armenian American Medical Society of California has been a vibrant and integral part of the community in all its endeavors.

Organizational Infrastructure
AAMSC has 200 members. The Society is governed by a 9 person Board of Directors that meets on a monthly basis.

AAMSC publishes a quarterly newsletter and has a website (www.aamsc.com)

They have paid staff and are funded through dues, individual contributions, fundraising events, and foundation grants.

They are a 501(c)(3) corporation.

Activities
The AAMSC sponsors CME programs, community projects and advocacy programs. Some of their activities include:

Eye Project

The AAMSC's eye project "Save the beautiful Armenian eyes" was started in 1992 through the extraordinary efforts of an Orange County ophthalmologist Dr. Roger V. Ohanesian. AAMSC, Dr. Ohanesian and Dr. Richard L. Kasper, with generous donations from Allegran, Inc., Algon Surgical, Inc., Eye Technology, Inc., and many others sent eye surgical equipment totaling to an estimated total value of $1,218,000, to this one of the most up to date retinal surgery centers established in Armenia.

Dr. Ohanesian and Dr. Kasper traveled to Armenia to operate and train Armenian ophthalmologists. Also, through the efforts of AAMSC, several Armenian eye surgeons were brought to the U.S.A. for training in retinal surgery. One of the latest projects that Dr. Ohanesian has undertaken is to create eye surgical mobile units to travel to remote parts of Armenia.

Juvenile Diabetes Program

The Juvenile Diabetes program has been in operation in Armenia since 1993. This program was started through the efforts of Dr. Mark Nazarian, a long-term member of AAMSC. The program serves the needs of the juvenile diabetics in Armenia and Artsakh. With the money raised trough different fund raising events such as the annual "Hye shakar" concert, insulin is purchased and shipped to Armenia every year. Insulin is a high priority medication in short supply in Armenia. AAMSC has been working through a government-sponsored program so all supplies and medicine are given to all diabetic children, free of charge.

Shenkavid Maternity Hospital Project

This project was started with the efforts of Dr. Peter Kojian. This is a Laparascopic and Endoscopic Center at the third Maternity Hospital in Yerevan. Dr. Peter Kojian, an OB/GYN specialist from Orange County travels extensively every year to this hospital to perform surgeries and train the house staff in the latest laparascopic techniques. Recently under the auspices of AAMSC, and with generous donations from Ethiopian-Armenian community in the U.S.A., Dr. Kojian shipped about $250,000 of radiological equipment, and brought this hospital's radiology department to an acceptable level. In addition, six delivery beds, six stretchers, four fetal monitors, two sets of stirrups, two sets of arthroscopes, a Marquete ECG Machine, and numerous other medical supplies were sent.

Los Angeles Annual Health Fair Project

AAMSC and Armenian nurses association holds an annual health fair around the month of October. This health fair is usually held at St. Mary's Armenian church in Glendale. Numerous AAMSC member physicians, and nurses volunteer their time to consult on indigent Armenian patients. Basic health screening tests, such as basic blood work including blood sugar, cholesterol testing is done free of charge. Mammography, nutritional counseling also is provided free of charge. Multiple pharmaceutical companies also participate both financially, and by their presence. All the major local hospitals also contribute to this great event.

Guemri Mammography Project

Through the efforts of Dr. Abraham Maissian and Dr. Israel Avasepian, the Guemri Mammography and ultrasound center was established in October of 2000. AAMSC arranged for donation and transport of a mammography and ultrasound machine to Guemri.