Abu Dhabi: Syrian refugees living in camps have escaped the horrors of war, leaving behind friends and school as they have fled a country that is unlikely to ever be the same again.
So members of the Cancer Patient Care Society – Rahma, an Abu Dhabi-based charity organisation, decided to visit Mrajeeb Al Fhood Refugee Camp in Jordan. We decided to go on this journey for the Year of Zayed and on behalf of Cancer Patient Care Society – Rahma, which believes in no borders. We hoped to raise awareness and assist patients in need, in line with our mission and vision.
This particular refugee camp provides a safe haven for around 7,000 refugees. It has an impressive healthcare facility, markets, schools and mosques. We tried to add to this by providing more than 2,000 toys and blankets to the refugee children, and I gave lectures on health.
This visit was in partnership with the Emirates Red Crescent to educate cancer patients living in the camp about fighting the illness, and providing them with solutions for healing, along with the support of a medical team.
I brought with me my daughter, eight-year-old Yasmina Al Harmouzi, to help give toys, winter blankets and clothes we brought to the refugees.
Additionally, Danah Al Ali, an Emirati athlete and mountaineer who will be the first Emirati woman to summit Mount Everest for our cause this April, came along with us and her children, Elyazia and Hamdan Al Romathi, joined, too. She has inspired her children to follow their dreams.
She said: “The experience humbled me and I am very proud of what the UAE has done to assist the refugees at the camp. My children were enthusiastic and they really enjoyed engaging with the children and giving back.”
We expected the camp to be quite basic, but Emirates Red Crescent exceeded our expectations, as the camp was fully equipped with medical clinics, inclusive of all services, such as obstetrics and gynaecology, family medicine, oncology treatment, paediatric ward with select therapy, occupational therapy and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) for children with autism spectrum disorders.
The houses and markets are very clean. There was a joyful and positive atmosphere, with lots of smiles.
Emirates Red Crescent and the Embassy of the UAE in Jordan were very generous and the hospitality from the airport to the camp was great. The journey was smooth and it was organised to suit the mission and vision of our charity organisation.
I was able to speak to the patients regarding prevention and mental strength and the fact that medicine is advanced. They have access to gold standard oncology treatments and follow ups and all the doctors on the camp are of the highest standard, and are specialised consultants.
My daughter was very happy to help the children and said she would like to donate more toys to them in the future.
— The reader is the Director General of Cancer Patient Care Society – Rahma, based in Abu Dhabi.
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