CNN documents 5-year old Iraqi boy's medical journey

CNN documents 5-year old Iraqi boy's medical journey

MUMBAI:CNN documents the story of a 5-year old Iraqi boy's journey to recovery from a horrific attack in Impact Your World: Rescuing Youssif.

This has been made possible by the compassion of CNN viewers, says an official release.

Youssif was grabbed on a January day outside his central Baghdad home. He was doused in gasoline by masked assailants and set on fire, resulting in terrible burns to his face and hands. CNN's Baghdad-based correspondent Arwa Damon met Youssif's father and heard the story, which she reported on CNN International. Youssif's story drew the biggest response to a non-breaking news story in the history of CNN.com.

Through CNN's online Impact Your World initiative, viewers from around the world made contributions to the Children's Burn Foundation, allowing Youssif and his family to fly to the United States for treatment. Plastic surgeon Peter Grossman offered to donate his services for the half dozen or more surgeries Youssif will need.

Along with Damon, CNN's Dr Sanjoy Gupta is also there in Southern California to monitor Youssif's medical progress at the Grossman Burn Center. Impact Your World: Rescuing Youssif documents and watches the family as it experiences a series of "firsts" during their new life in America: from learning how to use a toaster to seeing the ocean for the first time.