Dr. Farzana F. Hamid
Dies
Addison,
IL. Dr. Farzana F. Hamid’s unexpected and sudden
death on February 18, 2005, leaves a void in a community
that she deeply impacted. Born in Bareilly, Dr. Hamid
was a visionary who believed that good ideas had to be
translated into action to make an impact in the lives
of individuals. Dr. Hamid’s many important accomplishments
addressing violence against women and the disparities
facing underserved communities are her legacy. Her example
will provide an inspiration for the next generation of
social activists.
She summarized her philosophy in 2001 by stating, “From
the day when I was a young girl growing up, I always saw
the tradition of thinking beyond oneself and thinking
of others. I saw the tradition of giving and sharing,
and I have internalized those values from a very early
stage in my life. This profession comes naturally.”
In 1992, she and her husband, Dr. Mohammad Hamid, founded
the first not-for-profit health and human services center
specifically tailored to meet the unmet needs of diverse
immigrant populations in the Chicago area. At the Hamdard
Center, Dr. Hamid served as the Executive Director pro
bono. The husband-and-wife team worked tirelessly to win
the commitment and support of immigrant and refugee populations
as well as the mainstream agencies to provide funding
and resources for the Center.
The Hamdard Center has seen tremendous growth since its
inception and today stands as one of the largest multi-service
institutions of its kind in North America. The Center
offers an array of health and social services that include
primary health care; mental health; domestic violence
programs with an emergency shelter; transitional housing
programs; several mental health clinics; and the development
of a day care center for the elderly. The Center is also
a licensed child welfare agency and an approved site for
internship and residency training. As Dr. Hamid noted
consistently in her speeches and public appearances, Hamdard’s
mission is to provide “hope, help, and healing”.
At Hamdard, Dr. Hamid specialized in developing culturally
sensitive and multi-lingual services that promote the
understanding of the unique problems faced by immigrant
and refugee communities. Her leadership mobilized the
South Asian, Middle Eastern and Bosnian American populations
in dealing with mental health issues, domestic violence
and child abuse.
From her early school days to the day of her untimely
death, she was recognized by those around her as an extraordinary
leader and organizer whose single-minded goal was improving
the lives of those who needed help.
The Aligarh Muslim University in India served as a major
transitional point in her life. There she met her future
husband and life long partner in both personal and professional
life, Dr. Mohammad Hamid. Based on her exceptional academic
qualifications Dr. Hamid joined her husband in the United
States in 1968 as a research psychologist at the University
of Oregon in a program sponsored by the Department of
Labor. She received a doctorate in clinical psychology
from Aligarh University.
While raising two boys, she held a number of senior administrative
positions at the Elgin Mental Health Center, culminating
with her service as the Director of the Psycho-Social
Rehab Services. There she established the first psychiatric
rehabilitation program for the chronically mentally ill.
This program, known as Horizons, received the Governor’s
Award for Excellence in 1990 and served as a prototype
for psychiatric rehabilitation.
In 1997, she co-founded Horizons Mental Health Clinic
of World Relief, Inc. with her husband and served as its
Clinical Consultant. There she established a first of
its kind program to provide mental health assistance to
refugees from war-torn Bosnia.
Dr. Hamid’s work was featured in Newsweek magazine,
numerous articles in the Chicago Tribune, the Daily Herald,
many community and ethnic newspapers.
Dr. Farzana Hamid is survived by her husband, Dr. Mohammad
Hamid, Chairman of the Hamdard Center Board of Directors;
son Adnaan Hamid and his wife Elissa Efroymson Hamid;
son Ferhan Hamid and his wife Fauzia Abbasi; and their
granddaughter Jaydra Efroymson Hamid.
The Hamid family has established the Dr. Farzana F. Hamid
Memorial Fund for the benefit of the Hamdard Center. Those
who wish to contribute should send donations to: Hamdard
Center For Health and Human Services, 228 East Lake Street,
Addison, Illinois 60101 (630- 835-1432).
