Marines from Company L, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5, came across a family with a three-year-old girl in need of heart surgery. Amina, pictured with her father, was flown to Jordon Jan. 22 and is scheduled to fly to Nashville, Tenn., to have open-heart surgery. Photo by Lance Cpl. Shawn Coolman.

They were met there by a team of medical professionals who will escort them to Nashville, Tenn., for open-heart surgery.

Amina Al’a Thabit, a 3-year-old who suffers from a congenital heart defect, was discovered by Marines assigned to 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, which is now part of Regimental Combat Team 5, patrolling the area as part of their daily interaction with the populace.

The battalion surgeon diagnosed her condition, and recognizing the gravity of the situation, coordinated arrangements with doctors in the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University who agreed to perform the surgery at no cost to the family.

The Marines, in concert with numerous government agencies, initiated a coordinated effort to transport Amina and her mother from their home in the Hadithah region to Nashville for the procedure.

Travel costs and incidentals were financed by private donors.