On his 30th birthday, August 11, 1975, George Abrahim Khan, learned that he would never walk again. He had the previous June graduated from the Medical School of the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica, with a degree in Bachelor in Medicine and Bachelor in Surgery (M.B.B.S). While on a driving tour of Europe with three friends, the vehicular accident occurred which would leave Dr Khan, a paraplegic, confined to a wheelchair to the day of his death on August 1st, 2001, ten days short of his 56th birthday. However, this very private man with the wide smile who diligently attended to his patients at the Port of Spain General Hospital and St James Medical Complex - Physical Medical Unit, neither ever focused on his disability nor allowed anyone to do so.
Even when he was left a single parent to raise his daughter Cherri- Ann, a pharmaceutical representative, and son Sheldon, a doctor doing post-graduate work in opthamology in London, barely three and six years old when their mother, Souad, died. To Cherri, who never lived apart from her Dad, even opting to do her degree at the St Augustine Campus, George was the world "he was very independent going down to the last and was able to manoeuvre himself and would go out and lime. He was also a very proud person who always went out of his way for his family and friends." George was the third child in a family of twelve.
On leaving Fatima College in 1965 where he was a member of the cricket team which played its first Intercol final against St Mary's College at the Queen's Park Oval, but lost "mainly due to our poor fielding" says George in his memoirs, and also of the A colts football team, George taught Mathematics and Chemistry at his alma mater before entering UWI, Jamaica, in October 1969.
At the time of his accident, George's post-graduate interest was in the field of paediatrics and although he did work as Senior House Officer and Acting Registrar, involved in the day to day management of ill children from the neonate to 12 years of age with acute problems as well as chronic illnesses from January 1977 to August 1985, he entered the field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation from September 1985 and remained there until his death, having received a government scholarship in 1990 to read for a one-year diploma in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of London, England. Cherri believes "his going into Physical Medicine could have had something to do with the fact that he had something more to offer in that field."
George was a busybody and although he could no longer be on the football or cricket fields, where he represented the University of the West Indies against a touring Pakistan team in 1971, he remained an ardent cricket and football fan and as a member of the Queen's Park Oval could be seen at International matches both at the oval or stadium.
This very active man continued to strive and conquer in many fields, and as an active member of the Fatima College Old Boys' Association for the past twelve years, was past president 1986/87/88 and treasurer 1993/94/95. He was also a member of the Rotary Club of Port of Spain from June 1993; Committee Member of the Trinidad & Tobago Fine Arts Association, of the T & T Social Education Unit Ministry of Education, of the National Days and Festivals 1986-1991, and from 1992 onwards a Committee Member in organising and drafting the policy document for people with disabilities - the main aim of the policy is to create a social and physical environment favouring the integration and full participation in society of children, adolescents and adults with disabilities. And also served as a Committee Member in organising and conducting the 1990 population census.
One wonders at the many hats worn by this physically challenged man, who says retired nurse Jean Headley "was very, very much involved in the care of his patients, some of whom he had doctor/patient relationships with for as long as 18 years." For he was also a member of the T&T Medical Board, and Medical Association; a foundation member and past president of Disabled People's International T&T Chapter; a member of the Society for the Rehabilitation of the Physically Disabled of T&T - 1st Vice President 1981; past executive member of the National Association of Downs Syndrome of T&T; past treasurer of the Board of Directors for the Association of Independent Living Center for people with disabilities; committee member on the Board of Directors of the Orthopedic Workshop at the Princess Elizabeth Home; and a past member (1986-1992) of the Lions Club of Port of Spain North, of which he was voted Lion of the Year in 1989, and installed as 2nd vice president 1990/91.
But it was as a foundation member of the Supporters of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (SOPMAR) that I really came to know and appreciate Dr Khan's strength, as vice president from its inception and chairman for the past year. It goes without saying that SOPMAR was his 'baby' having, together with Jean Headley and Dr Peter Poon King, gathered a small group of very ordinary people, first to raise $70,000 in less than a year for a 16-year old paraplegic, Paula Leacock, who needed to be sent to a hospital in Montreal for urgent attention if she was to have anything near to a normal life ever again. When that mission was fully accomplished, the group was enlarged in 1994 to establish SOPMAR to assist in upgrading the facilities at the St James Unit thereby enhancing the services offered at the unit. and providing an outreach programme for clients of the unit. From Sopmar in the north has evolved a southern branch.
Among Dr Khan's most recent achievements was the introduction of the Rotary wheelchair charity where every so often a corporate firm donates wheelchairs to those in need. And from SOPMAR, which was very dear to his fast failing heart, he gave two joint replacements - knees - to two women.