Body helps cancer-stricken children
- Last updated: September 2, 2019 | 00:01
The Make-A-Wish Foundation launched on Sunday a childhood cancer awareness campaign that will also help realise the wishes of children with the disease by raising donations via SMS.
The 30-day awareness campaign titled, ‘Cancer Steals Childhood and A Wish Returns it’, was fulfilled as per the directives of Shaikha Shaikha Bint Saif Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Honorary Chairperson of the Foundation, and wife of Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President, and was launched to coincide with ‘Childhood Cancer Awareness Month’ this September.
Speaking on the occasion, Hani Al Zubaidi, CEO of the Foundation, said, “We want to celebrate Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by realising the wishes of children with cancer, and provide them and their families with the strength and hope they need.”
He added that throughout the month, awareness messages will be shared on social media highlighting the physical and psychological effects that face children diagnosed with the illness, including fear, isolation and low self-esteem. The campaign will also circulate SMS messages to collect donations to help make dreams come true.
Al Zubaidi said that realised wishes help children regain their experiences of happiness, play, imagination and fun and reinforces feelings of hope, strength and joy.
During the Holy Month of Ramadan the dreams of 30 children were fulfilled thanks to the generosity of do-gooders and philanthropists, the Make-A-Wish Foundation UAE has announced.
These thirty children, from the UAE, Yemen, and Jordan, who were suffering from chronic or terminal ailments had their wishes granted, said Hani Al Zubaidi.
Established in 2003, under the patronage of Shaikha Shaikha Bint Saif Bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, the charity aims to bring hope, strength and joy to young lives, and inspire them to fight the terrible, life-threatening illnesses. It has set its sights on growing and expanding so as to involve these young souls and improve their lives and chances of surviving their ailments.
WAM