SAMS Midwest chapter was initially called the Illiana chapter (Illinois/Indiana) and it has been launched on September 28th, 2003. The first meeting was well attended and about 40 new and old members participated in the inaugurating meeting. The group voted to establish the Illiana chapter, which includes the American Syrian physicians and professionals from Illinois, Indiana and neighboring states. Four members were elected by the attendance to the Illiana chapter board including: M. Zaher Sahloul as a president, Akram Kholoki as a vice president, M. Wadah Atassi as a secretary and Abdel Ghani Hamadeh as a treasurer.

Dr. Maha Abooud and Dr. Rifat Baridi were later appointed by the elected officials to serve as board members at large. The chapter discussed and decided to accept American Syrian dentists, Pharmacists, other professionals and any other physicians who believe in the mission and the goals of SAMS, as members of the chapter.

Dr. Rami Akhras, the president of SAMS national, attended the inaugurating meeting and updated the members with the activities of the fourth SAMS annual conference held in Syria and the accomplishment of the Society in the last year. SAMS, as he stressed, is a non-political, medical, cultural and charitable, non-for profit organization to serve the interests of the American Syrian professionals and serve as a bridge between Syria and the professionals in the US.

The next meeting of Illiana chapter was held on January 24th, 2004, and the auxiliary chapter that included the spouses of SAMS members was established to carry on the charitable activities of SAMS midwest.

The Midwest (Illiana) chapter serves to implement the goals of the SAMS national by creating a platform for local members to interact, exchange experience and ideas, and to plan for the future in order to serve their local and homeland communities more effectively.

Since its inception, SAMS concentrated on broadening national membership and assuring the success of the annual conference in Syria. And we have witnessed in the past 5 years the expansion and the maturation of the annual conference. It has been transformed from a small, although energetic effort, to a well organized and productive venture. In the 2003 conference more than $1.5 million were donated to local and governmental hospitals, and hundreds of patients and Syrian physicians benefited from the energy, the knowledge and the experience SAMS members have brought to their homeland.

The next phase of our strategic planning should concentrate on establishing and strengthening grass root chapters like Illiana, connect and network the SAMS members in different regional chapters, establishing and empowering the auxiliary chapters, forming alliances and cooperative relationship with other medical and cultural organizations, and empowering the members in the US. It is only by joining effort, planning and volunteering of time, effort and money, that the broader goals of SAMS can and shall be accomplished.

Mohammed Z Sahloul, MD, FCCP
Former President of SAMS
Illiana Chapter