VOLUNTEER STORY

Loujin Shakerdi · Volunteer Dentist · AHR Volunteer

Loujin Shakerdi returned to Syria not only as a dentist, but as someone carrying skills shaped abroad and a responsibility rooted at home. Through volunteering with Atlantic Humanitarian Relief, her profession became a pathway to restoring trust, dignity, and care.

Loujin Shakerdi graduated in dentistry from Trinity College Dublin and volunteered with Atlantic Humanitarian Relief after learning about the organization through colleagues who had supported its missions for years. Following Syria’s liberation in December 2024, she felt a strong calling to return and contribute to rebuilding healthcare in her country.

Loujin participated in two missions with AHR. The work was demanding—long days, limited resources, and travel to remote and damaged areas. In some locations, electricity and internet were unavailable, and treatment took place using improvised equipment. Yet care continued.

One patient encounter deeply shaped her experience. A woman arrived visibly afraid of dental treatment. As Loujin listened, she learned that the patient’s fear stemmed from trauma: the last time she visited a dentist, an airstrike killed both the dentist and her friend.

Treatment became an exercise in trust. Loujin slowed down, reassured the patient, and created a space where care felt safe again. The experience highlighted that for many patients, fear is not anxiety—it is memory and loss.

Volunteering reinforced Loujin’s belief that healthcare is about more than procedures. It is about dignity, patience, and understanding. The mission strengthened her empathy and reshaped how she practices dentistry, both in Syria and abroad.

“For many patients, fear is not anxiety — it is deep trauma.”