I was a junior in dermatology residency at Imam Hospital in Ahvaz when I was awarded a scholarship by the International Dermatology Society (ISD) to stay in Florence, Italy for a while and gain advantages by contacting European professors.
It was a special opportunity and I had written a lot of articles and worked hard to get it, but unfortunately, it was not possible for me to journey on this trip due to poor financial conditions.
At that time, I could not even afford to rent a house in the city of Ahvaz, and with frugality, I lived in the temporary residents’ living room, and I spent most of the resident’s little income to help my mother in providing living expenses in Shiraz.
Although I was apparently delighted about this incident, I was very upset inside and constantly struggling with myself: where can I get my travel costs? What about my family in my absence? How can I work harder and make more money?
I decided to do work more hours in the emergency room, but the tough residential courses did not allow me to do so … I was almost desperate and disappointed until one day…
Professor Dr. Ranjbari called me to the pathology department, gave me her credit card, and told me not to be concerned about the cost of my educational trip … she said “spend on whatever you need from this card and after you come back, you will pay it back… I was walking on the moon … I no longer needed to worry about providing the money for the journey, God had kindly provided everything so that I could go on that trip … and most importantly when I finished the educational courses in Italy and I returned to Iran, despite my insistence, this great professor did not accept to get any penny back from me and she covered all the expenses of my trip herself…
Till now, no one except my dear professor Dr. Ranjbari and me hasn’t known about this adventure and it remained as a secret between us … but today I wanted to reveal this secrecy to thank my great professor who was truly a myth of kindness. I appreciate what you did for me and I do not know where you found out about my problems, however, I want you to know that you gave me the scholarship, not ISD.
I will never forget your great kindness and I deeply admit that what you gave me with your great heart has illuminated my future forever.