Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visited the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon, a regional affiliate of Memphis-based St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, on Tuesday. CCCL opened its doors at the American University of Beirut Medical Center on April 12, 2002. For 15 years, the CCCL has treated more than 1,330 children from Lebanon and across the Middle East.
“As a parent, there is nothing you want more for your child than good health and the opportunity to live life to its fullest, and that’s certainly no different for families in the Middle East,” said Senator Corker.
“It was inspiring to see the work the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon is doing to treat children with cancer, and we know that work would not be possible without our friends in Memphis. St. Jude has always been a source of great pride in our state and witnessing the hospital’s global impact firsthand today was outstanding.”
During the visit, Senator Corker toured the CCCL outpatient facility, greeted children and their families, and learned about the facility’s latest treatment protocols and close relationship with SJCRH.
The senator’s visit to CCCL comes during a visit to the Middle East to assess progress in the fight against ISIS and efforts to strengthen regional stability. As part of his role as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he is meeting with U.S. and foreign officials in the region to discuss a broad range of shared interests, including security, humanitarian, political, and economic issues. On Monday in Iraq, he met with a number of U.S. soldiers from Tennessee.