Jawaher Al Qasimi interacts with a child suffering from cancer.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of The Big Heart Foundation and Eminent Advocate for Refugee Children at UNHCR, has allocated Dhs6 million worth of medications that will be shipped from the UAE to support young cancer patients in the Children’s Cancer Centre of Lebanon (CCCL), as a response to the hard impacting all sectors in the country, especially the health sector.

TBHF, the Sharjah-based global humanitarian organisation, will mobilise the funds allocated by Her Highness to ship essential medications to Lebanon in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) and CCCL.

A thorough need assessment was carried out by CCCL prior to the announcement of the TBHF initiative to identify basic and priority medications required, and the fund allocation has been determined to fulfil the medication needs of all 660 child and adolescent patients for a one-year period to ensure treatment continuity.

These new efforts by TBHF under the directives of Sheikha Jawaher fall under Sharjah’s ‘Salam Beirut’ campaign – an emergency aid and relief campaign launched by Sheikha Jawaher in August 2020, following the tragic explosion in Port Beirut.

The campaign promotes the vision of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to stand by nations in their time of need.

Bonds between the people of the region: Her Highness affirmed TBHF’s and the Emirati community’s strong solidarity with the Lebanese people as they face escalating challenges due to a dearth of vital supplies of food, medicine, and other essentials. Sheikha Jawaher pointed out that the bond that joins the people of this region is unbreakable.

Sheikha Jawaher said: “Our solidarity with the Lebanese community remains strong as ever; consistent with our ideals of friendship and humanity. Today, we reaffirm that we feel the pain of every patient in Lebanon, and that every child in need there is one of our own children. We will always stand by every individual who needs a helping hand.”

“Fulfilling the goals of TBHF’s Salam Beirut campaign, this Dhs6 million contribution to Lebanon’s healthcare sector focuses particularly on helping young cancer patients. Cancer takes a huge emotional and financial toll on families, and when put within the current socio-economic state of Lebanon, international humanitarian action becomes an immediate necessity,” Her Highness further opined.

Calling on public and private entities as well as individuals, Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi has appealed to their generosity, stressing that humanitarian action is a long-term investment with beneficial returns.

Deeply appreciative of Her Highness:  The Children’s Cancer Centre of Lebanon (CCCL) General Manager, and Union of International Cancer Control board member, Mrs. Hana Chaar Choueib, thanked Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi and His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi for their solidarity and generous support to Lebanon through the years. She added, “Everyone at the CCCL is deeply appreciative, essentially now, while Lebanon is passing through a very difficult crisis that is taking a huge toll on cancer patients. This is why we stand determined in perseverance with the young warriors and their families, because cancer doesn’t wait and we remain committed to our mission of serving them.” Mrs. Chaar Choueib also echoed the importance of the unbreakable bond that joins the people of this region and highlighted how crucial partnerships across entities, like the one between the CCCL and TBHF, has influenced cancer control.

The Children’s Cancer Centre of Lebanon (CCCL), inaugurated in 2002, is a leading not-for-profit cancer treatment and training centre in the region. It aims to offer free treatment and support care to children and adolescents suffering from cancer in Lebanon and the wider region through various fund-raising activities. It also offers psychological support and social services to patients and their families.