After the Pakistan earthquake struck on October 8, 2005 , Maqsud Ahmad Dean took an unpaid leave of absence from his job as a physician's assistant at a private medical practice to care for the critically injured in Pakistan as a volunteer for International Medical Corps (IMC), a humanitarian non-profit organization located in Santa Monica , California.
" I could see when the reports started coming in from Pakistan how grim it was," Maqsud Ahmad Dean said. Maqsud was well-acquainted with the country, having previously worked in medical clinics in Pakistan . Although he was born in America , his family's origins were in Punjab and he spoke the language fluently, which made it easy for him to pick up the local dialects. But he also knew that responding to the area independently would not help the cause. So he turned to International Medical Corps.
Maqsud took daring helicopter forays with the Pakistan Army into the most affected and inaccessible high-mountain areas. There he provided life-saving medical help to the injured. Many roads were ruined by the earthquake and ensuing landslides. Vehicles full of passengers on steep mountain roads were swept away. Thousands were trapped and could be reached only by helicopters.
Many survivors were too psychologically traumatized to ask for help, which led him to put down his stethoscope and pick up his guitar. As the melodious and calming music he played spread into the small tent village of Ghari Habibullah , children and adults gathered around him. The music of the guitar, combined with the words of the local Hazara songs, touched the hearts of everyone.
Dr. Max, as he now is affectionately called by the people in the area, has served as a healing force - as a medical professional, a musician and a man with compassion - and he is a role model for others. "My mission is not yet over," he says. "I foresee more such visits in the near future, as a lot more work needs to be done."
