And for this we are thankful.... - Armenian Reporter

The Armenian Reporter | November 22, 2008 9CommunityOne doctor’s call in Armeniaby Tom VartabedianMANHASSET, N.Y. – Dr. LouisM. Najarian is the best friend acountry like Armenia could embrace.For the past 20 years, he’s laid hispsychiatry practice aside, put hisbusy personal life on hold, and paidannual visits to depressed areas,lending trauma relief to childrenand adults.It all started after the earthquakein March 1989 when he joined ateam of mental health professionalsto provide crises intervention ina program sponsored by the ArmenianRelief Society.Since then, he has seen no hiatusin his mission to create a betterlife for victims, returning to Armeniaonce or twice a year to providecontinual medical education andsupervision of clinical work.“In 1988, the psychological treatmentwas based on Russian methods,”Najarian said. “It includedmedication for adults but very littleattention to children.”So Najarian went to work, lookingto give something back to hisproud Armenian heritage with new,updated methods.Often, it meant living out of atrailer or anywhere he could securehousing and living with the bareessentials. His mission became alabor of love, marked by incrediblesacrifice and commitment.The program consisted of teachingchild development, childhooddisorders and psychotherapy bytranslating into Armenian hiswork from medical school andconducting seminars in Gumriand Spitak.He trained a group of brightyoung professionals interested inlearning new psychotherapeutictechniques who, in turn, continueto provide treatment in their respectivecommunities.The research done by Najarianon Post Traumatic Stress Disorderwas recognized by the world psychiatriccommunity and others likePresident Levon Ter Petrossian andAmerican Psychiatric Association.Not too bad for a young lad whocame up through the ranks of theArmenian Youth Federation inProvidence, R.I., and set new standardsas a pole-vaulter, despite hisdiminutive size.Today, he remains prominentin the Armenian community as atouring musician with “Hello EllisIsland,” a theatrical group of 25Armenians who tell the genocidestory through song, dance and dialogue.A son, Berj, wears three SuperBowl rings as a personal assistantto New England Patriots footballcoach Bill Belichick. Another sonAram works on Wall Street whilea third son Haig is an attorney inConnecticut.He and wife Elenne, whom hemet at Camp Hayastan, are blessedwith four grandchildren.“Being on Armenian soil whenthe country was declared a freeand independent republic was adream come true for my grandparentsand all other Armeniansworldwide,” Najarian said. “Thatsame year, we opened a formalclinic and the Health Ministryorganized a commission toexamine a staff we had put together.”Being presented with an Armenianpassport as a citizen of the republiclong before it became easilyaccessible was another bonus forthe 65-year-old Najarian. Thoughnot all in his life became Utopiawhen he thinks about the hardshipsendured along the way,“I remember my first visit homefor Christmas in 1991,” he tracedback. “I missed my family andasked myself what I was doing inthis godforsaken place living insidea trailer, often with no water, electricityor heat in the dead of winter.Construction delays for the clinicand older clinicians resisting newmethods only compounded the difficulty.”The answer became easy for Najarianwhen he saw the good thatcame out of it, the nation being rebornand people being cured. Withhis clarinet before him, MountArarat would be dancing in the distance.“Armenia today is on the movewith economic activity and constructioneverywhere,” he notes.“Yerevan is still the showcase withits beautiful old structures andmany new high-rise apartments.The real deficit is aid to the villages.”Dr. Louis M.Najarian andhis mother inArmenia.Najarian sees inroads being madeon the outskirts of Armenia withthe Children of Armenia Fund andother charities providing a boost.One such area is Armavir.The many trips he’s continued totake are not without a recreationalmoment or two. He’s sailed LakeSevan on a 36-foot cruiser andskied Dzaghnadzor where the Russianski team makes its Olympicruns.He’s attended first-rate operasand concerts by the National ArmenianPhilharmonic Orchestraand attended two dramatic playsthis past spring.Najarian usually travels alone. Hiswife visited once and a son (Haig)twice, once with an AYF internshipto build homes for Karabagh refugeesand again with his wife.Of all the trips, year in and yearout since 1989, the most personaltook place this year – to HistoricArmenia – with his mom Starre Asdghig.It turned out to be a memorable85th birthday gift for her.They visited the birthplace of herparents in Govdoon, Sepastia; thechurch where they were married,and the environment where theywere raised. He was stunned to seeanimals living on the ground floorand the families upstairs. Roadswere unpaved and life is rural agriculturalwith little change the pastcentury.“My grandfather left Govdoonin 1911 with others and settled inProvidence,” said Najarian. “Themoney he earned in the textile industrybrought his wife and threeof her sisters here. Three childrendied during the deportation.”The immigrants recreated theirown lifestyle in America and establishedthe Govdoon Youth ofAmerica which still meets annuallyto celebrate Armenian Christmas.An offshoot of that is the MouradMarching Band named after theirnative hero Mourad of Sepastia.Najarian was 6 years old whenhis grandmother purchased a Govdoonsticlarinet for $10, hopingthat someday, her grandson wouldplay the instrument. It is this sameclarinet that the doctor plays in hishouse with the theatre group in“Hello Ellis Island.”And it’s the very same clarinetthat Najarian took with him toGovdoon and played in front ofthe church where his grandparentswed – the same clarinet his childrenlearned to play and hopefullythe grandchildren to follow.“A very mysterious core of ourArmenian heritage remains in thatvillage of Govdoon that my grandparentsbrought with them andpassed down to subsequent generations,”he says. “It need not staywith the land. A simple marchingband in 1939, a few instruments,hard work, patience and persistence.That is where I received theinspiration to give my professionalexpertise back to our people.”Had he to do over again, Najarianwouldn’t change a thing. Factis, he’s gotten more in return thanwhat he’s disseminated. Seeingone healthy child in Armenia isgratitude enough for this psychiatristfrom New York. So why stopnow?“I see my work in Armenia asan opportunity and privilegeto contribute in my own smallway to the rebirth of our belovednation,” he confirms. Need extra space at home?Sell your stuff with the Armenian Reporterclassifieds@reporter.am818-955-8407Visit us atreporter.amYou share the samecommunity. 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