Alison Thompson

Alison Thompson holding her heart flag

Alison Thompson has worked for the past 16 years as a full-time humanitarian volunteer.[1][2][3][4]

Alison Thompson is dressed in yellow emergency gear and a love cap. She is carrying a Syrian refugee baby to safety.
Alison Thompson helping Syrian refugees off a boat.

Biography

Greece and Syria

Since 2015, Thompson has been working on the island of Lesvos, Greece in the epicenter of the Syrian refugee Crisis where millions have fled the war zones of Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. In Greece, she volunteers as a paramedic rescuing refugees along the Aegean sea including resuscitating children to healing bullet and torture wounds to those fleeing ISIS.[5][6] Thompson is also bringing innovative Solar lights to give to the Syrian women and children in the dark refugee camps.[7]

The Origami 'fold up in your pocket' Solar Puff lights are important for the refugees living in the dark. Thompson has personally distributed the solar lights.[8][9][10]

Honours

In 2015 she was honored at Loyola Chicago University with an Honorary ‘Doctorate of Letters’,[11] in the ‘Humanities’, where she also gave the commencement speech.[11]

Media

Her documentary The Third Wave chronicles her volunteer experience in Sri Lanka after the 2004 tsunami and was screened at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival in a Presidential Jury Screening presented by Sean Penn and Bono. She followed up with a book published by Random House called The Third Wave: A Volunteer Story.

Awards

  • 2009 honored by US Army Two- Star General Simeon Trombitas and the 82nd Airborne Division with the US Commanders 'Medal of Excellence' Award
  • 2010 Order of Australia
  • 2010 The Paul Harris award from Rotary International
  • 2005 Humanitarian award from the President of Sri Lanka
  • 2012 InStyle award for Charity and Community
  • 2015 Loyola Chicago University Honorary ‘Doctorate of Letters’,‘Humanities’ [11]

References

  1. ↑ Fox, MeiMei. "Leading By Being 'In The Right Place At The Wrong Time'". Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  2. ↑ "Saving lives amid world's worst humanitarian crisis". Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  3. ↑ CNN, Sara Sidner, Gul Tuysuz and Mary Rogers. "The woman who never shies away from disaster". CNN. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  4. ↑ World Race Films (2016-03-01), Just Do Something - Alison Thompson from the Beaches of Lesvos, retrieved 2016-08-31
  5. ↑ "Refugee Crisis Lesbos, Greece". CNN iReport. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  6. ↑ Chris Morrow (2015-11-21), Syrian Refugees land in Lesbos Greece - crisis, retrieved 2016-08-31
  7. ↑ Operation Blessing International (2016-05-10), Illuminating Greece: Solar Lights For Refugees, retrieved 2016-08-31
  8. ↑ Poet, Gregory Weinkauf; pundit; Writer, Award-Winning (2016-07-11). "Let There Be Light! Inventor Alice Chun and Dr. Alison Thompson Bring Solight's SolarPuff to the World". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  9. ↑ Chris Morrow (2015-11-23), Giving Light to the Syrian Refugees - Lesbos Greece, retrieved 2016-08-31
  10. ↑ Pastrana, Lauren. "South Florida Woman Helps Light The Way For Syrian Refugees". Retrieved 2016-08-31.
  11. 1 2 3 ArtsAndCultureTv (2015-06-19), Alison Thompson Loyola Doctoral Ceremony, retrieved 2016-08-31
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