[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 14, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO DR. SAMIR GUINDI

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, the community in Harlan County, KY, 
will gather next month in honor of a devoted caregiver and friend as he 
prepares to begin a well-deserved retirement. Today, I would like to 
join them in paying tribute to Dr. Samir Guindi for the 45 years of 
devotion he has given to Southeastern Kentucky.
  Dr. Guindi--Sam to his friends--and his wife, Laila, are originally 
from Egypt. They arrived in Harlan in 1975, where Sam spent much of his 
career as the only ear, nose, and throat surgical specialist in the 
area. As a result, his services were constantly in demand, and he 
dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the vital work. Conservative 
estimates by his colleagues show Sam conducted more than 200,000 
patient visits during his impressive career. He performed approximately 
30,000 procedures. Many of the patients Sam treated were children at 
high risk of ear damage and deafness.
  On top of his busy professional schedule, Sam partnered with the 
well-regarded Appalachian Regional Healthcare System to provide 
charitable care for families in need. He was based in Harlan, but Sam's 
work extended into nearby Bell, Letcher, and Perry Counties as well. He 
spent countless hours on the road to see scores of patients in a single 
day, often without any compensation. In a region that has long faced a 
scarcity of medical professionals, Sam's tireless generosity and 
kindness made a remarkable impact on families in Southeastern Kentucky.
  Sam's life has been a wonderful example of selflessness. Both of his 
sons, Alfi and Sherif, are successful attorneys, and Sherif followed 
his father into the service of his community by working as a public 
defender and an assistant Commonwealth's attorney. It is my privilege 
to join the Guindi family, the Harlan community, and all of Sam's 
patients in thanking him for his decades of providing vital medical 
care in Appalachia. I wish Sam the very best as he enjoys a relaxing 
retirement. I urge my Senate colleagues to join me in commending this 
outstanding Kentuckian.

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