H.M. Reza Pahlavi’s introduces his mother Empress Farah Pahlavi
at the Seventh Annual Sibley Hospital Gala November 3, 2007

Thank you very much Annie for your very kind introduction.

Ladies & Gentlemen:

 It is indeed a great pleasure to be able to participate in tonight’s event. I must admit to you all, this is the very first time in my entire life that I have been asked to introduce someone.
And what better person could it be than my own mother!  Naturally, as her son, my opinions could not be totally unbiased; but then again, I truly believe that my mother’s lifetime achievements
and services to our beloved homeland speak for themselves.

 There is a lot that I could say about her courage and dignity during very arduous times since our family’s exile from our beloved homeland. But in the interest of time, allow me to share with you what my mother is most remembered for, primarily by Iranians, and what she had accomplished in Iran.

 Perhaps one of the most evident and important issue was the participation of Iranian women in all aspects of a modernizing Iranian society. As such, my mother was indeed a role model to follow. This fairly recent status for women was not to be limited just for the elite or intelligentsia. It was to be promoted in the deepest regions of our country. Quite frequently, my mother would promote a variety of issue by literally hitting the trail. As such, she would bring much needed attention to often neglected areas, and raise awareness at the national level.
 To this day, one of the most graphic illustrations of her dedication to people is a photo of her being hugged and kissed by a leper at a special camp. Her particular attention to children, education, sports and healthcare was among her foremost priorities.

 It should not be left out that Iran’s contemporary art and the artistic community owes a great deal to my mother’s effort to put Iran on the map at the international level and establish a number a museums around the country, but to also bring art and culture to Iran by inviting the most prominent world artists. It goes without saying that the preservation of our cultural heritage was also among her chief concerns and interests.

 In short, ladies & gentlemen, the person you are about to welcome tonight is, to say the least, a great humanitarian, and it is my greatest honor and privilege to introduce to you my mother, Her Majesty Queen Farah Pahlavi.    

Click here to see Empress Farah Pahlavi fighting leprosy in Iran
********

Remarks by H.M. Shahbanou Farah Pahlavi at the 7^th Sibley Gala Celebration of Hope & Progress,
Washington D.C. November 3, 2007 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 It is my pleasure to join you tonight in celebration of the great work done by Sibley Memorial Hospital.  When my good friend Annie Totah asked me early this year, if I could attend Sibley Hospital’s Gala, I could not say no to her.  Knowing full well that she is a cancer survivor herself and has been an inspiration to so many others stricken with the same disease. 

 I hope with your support and generosity we can help Sibley Hospital to better achieve its noble goal of caring for patients in general, and for cancer  patients in particular.

 Cancer is one of the most devastating diseases, not only for the patient but also for family and friends.  I have personally witnessed and endured the suffering and the loss of two people closest to my heart because of cancer.  At the age of nine, I lost my father to pancreatic cancer.  He was misdiagnosed with jaundice, and for a long time treated with traditional medicines.  I witnessed his daily deterioration, as well as the suffering and the anxiety of my mother and my family.  I will never forget my last visit with him in the hospital.  Later in life, I lost my beloved husband to lymphoma.  I learnt about his illness in 1977. This was during the most devastating time in the history of my country. We left Iran on January 16^th, 1979, and a month after our departure Iran was declared an Islamic Republic. I do not need to elaborate the resulting consequences for Iran, the Middle East and the world.

 From that moment on, our wandering around the world began.  Not only did we have to fight cancer, we were also grieving the loss of many who served our country with honor and loyalty. We were also deeply concerned about the fate of the American hostages and their families. During those trying times, being away from our children was another hardship.  According to doctors, it is always easier to care for an ordinary patient rather than a celebrity.  Because of political considerations, my husband did not receive timely and necessary medical treatment.

 After much travail including the near diversion of our flight to safety to Egypt, my husband passed away amongst friends and brothers in Cairo on July 27^th, 1980. Throughout his long and painful ordeal he never complained; he had prevailed over worldly pettiness. He was and still is an inspiring example for me and for my family.  During all these difficult months, we continued to receive thousands of letters of support and encouragement from across the globe, and this made our days more bearable.

 I would like to share with you some of the experiences that life has taught me. Yes, life is a struggle for all of us regardless of rank and position.  We might lose our loved ones, our country, our livelihoods, and our possessions. But, we must not lose hope and we have to keep on going.  We should always strive to have positive thoughts, and to avoid bitterness and self-pity at all times.  We have to be compassionate and believe in the power of love. I remember what was written on a shirt given to me years ago by Pearl Bailey: it read “Don’t Give Up, Get Up”.

 I believe each cancer patient has different medical needs, but suffering remains universal.  We are all gathered here to express our support for the Sibley Hospital Cancer Center, for its work in educating the public, for its research, for its care of patients and for its positive outlook on this disease.  I believe that’s what Sibley Hospital does best; it treats you, educates you, cures you and helps you turn a new chapter in your life.  I would like to conclude by saying how delighted I am that two of my dear grand daughters Noor and little Farah were born here in Sibley Hospital.

 Thank you Sibley hospital; thank you all for being here.
 

 
Prince Reza Pahlavi, Mrs. Annie Totah Gala Chair Seventh Annual
Celebration of Hope & Progress, Shahbanou Farah Pahlavi, Princess
Yasmin Pahlavi - Washington D.C, at the Sibley Hospital Gala for the
benefit of Sibley Cancer Center, November 3, 2007
at right Reza Pahlavi greets his Mother

Click here to Watch the video of the Sibley Celebrations in Persian

Back to Index