By Dr. Kinda R. Dahlan

On July 13, 2021, I was saddened by the sudden news of Dr. Farida Al-Hamad Al-Solayman’s passing. I type these words with a heavy heart and heavy strikes, pausing to mourn her loss one moment and to collect my thoughts to express what a great person she was, in another. I am certain that I can do her legacy no justice. I am certain that I am not alone in feeling this way.

She has touched the lives of many families throughout her life. Though she leaves behind no children of her own, many in Jeddah claim her as a mother, a mentor, and a support system — their inspiration. That is what makes her legacy so profound. Dr. Al- Solayman, or Doctora Farida as she is so lovingly known, established her clinic in the Sharafeyah district in Jeddah, where it still operates today.

Doctora Farida's greatest legacy of all is her career in medicine — not only in her expertise but also in the way she chose to run her practice. She was the first Saudi woman to specialize in pediatrics, long before the promotion of female Saudi firsts became an international trend.

Looking back on her life, I cannot rein in my overwhelmed feelings towards her accomplishments and contributions to society in the wake of Saudi women's empowerment today.

Her life is an honest portrayal of what it was like for a woman to forge a career in Saudi Arabia long before it was the norm. She has paved the way for many after her; none who can compete.

Her approach to pediatrics is the reason why so many feel so close to the late doctor. With each patient, she took her time, talked to the child, gave them a voice and agency over their own bodies; she humanized their experience and empowered their autonomy, all the while addressing their parents' concerns and supporting them through their journey of parenthood.

She was a mother to many, a grandmother to their children, and a friend to every anxious parent. She is a reminder that regardless of circumstances, women are powerful beyond measure.

Doctora Farida stood for all the mothers who knew her, for all the children she had treated, at a time when pediatrics was a man's field. The great Dr. Maya Angelou once said, "if you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded."

She graduated from the school of medicine at the American University in Beirut (AUB) in 1970. She became the first Saudi female pediatrician in the Kingdom.

Having attended AUB for some time myself, I take pride in her accomplishments, knowing full well the competition that must have surrounded her.

Aging gracefully, she remained astute, kind, and attentive. She was assertive when she needed to be, empathetic when the situation called for it.

My memories of her clinic as a young child are still vivid: the colorful balcony adorned plentifully with new and favorite toys was a sure welcome in the waiting area.

The warm staff that greeted you as you walked in, knowing full well that a dose of immunization vaccine awaited you, felt like a visit to a favorite aunt rather than a dreaded physician.

Karima, her office manager, was quick with a joke and swift to distract even a most anxious child. The place was tidy, with soft lights, pastel walls, and calming minimalist furniture.

Climbing up the stairs, you are filled with eagerness that washes away fear. You will be heard. How can you not when your photo hangs on the wall behind her desk? How could you not, as you go through the process, confident in knowing exactly what the sequence was each and every time?

Efficiency is an understatement. The entire visit lasted an hour. The nurses were consistent in their temperament and performance — height, weight, temperature, blood pressure — so that each child had enough time with her.

Information was neatly collected and filed, and a copy was shared with each patient to maintain a record. Each record was like a badge of honor, a certification of achievement, cautiously instilling the idea of self-care very early on.

And then you meet with Doctora Farida. Her presence was calming. She listened to you first; she talked with you, not at or over you. For a young child, that sense of being heard, not just seen, was formative, especially in contributing to the development of one's own sense of self.

She played a critical role in enabling me to recognize my own voice and self-worth. At her clinic, children came first.

Many years later, as I have forged my own career, I admire her progressiveness and her ability to keep up with her field and go beyond it. Her knowledge of modern medicine was exceptional and world-class.

Doctora Farida built relationships. Long after moving from Saudi Arabia, we remained in touch. She took the time to write responses to the letters I kept sending from continents away.

She knew my medical history well and dispensed her advice to me, as an adult woman, lovingly beyond the monetization of modern medicine.

Doctora Farida, you will never be forgotten, for you are in the hearts of all your children.

— Kinda Dahlan is an information and communication expert, and a digital humanist. She is a Ph.D. holder from the Department of Information Studies at University College London, UK. She currently resides in Riyadh, where she assumes the role of Data Analytics Head, at the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF).