All posts by Abdullah Zafar

Stories of Hope

Dubai runner on a charitable quest

Around the globe sport has proven to be one of the greatest charitable avenues with running holding a strong lead in charitable fundraising and participation.

Although the global pandemic meant many running events were canceled, Dubai resident Ahmed Ali was not about to let that stop him supporting his favourite charity.

Ahmed got creative and initiated the #Eid2EidChallenge to raise funds for Al Jalila Foundation’s paediatric treatment program ‘Farah’ to give hope to sick children. Despite the heat and humidity, Ahmed ran 5 kilometers every day for 67 days from Eid Al Fitr to Eid Al Adha and invited the UAE running community to join him on his quest.

Every day different runners joined him at various locations across Dubai including local celebrity Big Rossi from Virgin Radio. The 5:30 Run club organised a charity run to support Ahmed raising almost AED 5,000.

The #Eid2EidChallenge has raised AED 12,850 with MonViso, Al Jalila Foundation longstanding partner, matching the funds raised.

In addition to this incredible feat, Ahmed is a true inspiration with a long list of humanitarian projects and has been volunteering on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic since mid-March 2020.

Read more about Ahmed’s running challenge here.

Newsletters

Hope Connects Us All

August 2020
I trust that you had a blessed, joyful and healthy Eid Al Adha. Eid Al Adha is known as the ‘Feast of Sacrifice’ and over the last months we have all had to make immense sacrifices at work, at home and in our communities to stay safe and healthy. Life amid the global pandemic continues to evolve as we adapt to the changing times armed with resilience and filled with hope for better days ahead.Whilst people around the world continue to struggle with the impact of COVID-19 hope inspires us to imagine a brighter future.

Stories of Hope

Scholarship recipient determined to give back

When HedaietAllah Ghanem discovered she was selected to be one of the first to receive a full 6-year scholarship from Al Jalila Foundation to attend Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) she was speechless. Throughout high school she had explored many professions but nothing inspired her like medicine. The determination to pursue her dream had paid off and she was on her way to becoming a doctor.

Now completing year four of a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, HedaietAllah has taken keen interest in cardiology and pediatrics and intends to continue her studies upon graduation in 2022. In addition to regular studies, HedaietAllah is part of MBRU’s Summer Scholars Program where she volunteers and is able to develop knowledge through observerships and research.

“I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to attend medical school and attribute much of my personal and professional growth to the support of Al Jalila Foundation and MBRU. My ultimate goal is to take all that I achieve and give it back to my birthplace and home, Dubai.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, HedaietAllah remains steadfast in her goals and is proud to be co-leading the Child Health and Safety Team as part of the #Students_Against_COVID global movement to raise awareness in the community.

Research Matters, Stories of Hope

Scientist files patent for novel chemotherapy treatment

UAE breast cancer statistics emphasise the need for local research as it is the most common cancer affecting women with incidences steadily increasing and constituting 38% of all female cancers in the country.

Al Jalila Foundation research grant recipient, Dr Ghaleb Husseini from American University of Sharjah, lead a ground-breaking study focused on improving treatment methods for breast cancer patients which is currently filed for a US patent.

Chemotherapy practice requires the use of high drug doses to increase the effectiveness on tumours, which also results in detrimental side effects on healthy cells. These side effects significantly decrease the patient’s quality of the life and may result in life-threatening conditions. Dr Ghaleb’s study developed an ultrasound triggered, targeted drug delivery system for breast cancer treatment. The research investigated the ability of the system to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic agents on tumor cells and to decrease their side effects on healthy cells.

Recognised as an authority in his field, Dr Ghaleb already has one published US patent in addition to this one under review. He is also a finalist in the Mohammed Bin Rashid Medal of Scientific Distinction and among the first to receive a 10-year UAE residency visa for scientific accomplishments.

Click here to learn about Dr Ghaleb’s research study.

Stories of Hope

MonViso, a brand with a heart

Stefano Iorini is no ordinary businessman but rather an entrepreneur passionate about philanthropy. With decades of commercial experience behind him, in 2015, Stefano launched MonViso Italian Mineral Water with a mission to develop a product that would give back every day.

With a good cause at the heart of the brand Stefano established the ‘Take Water. Give Life’ initiative which donates AED 1 per 1 litre sold, through designated partners, to Al Jalila Foundation to invest in medical education, treatment and research.

“The ‘Take Water. Give Life’ initiative is at the heart of our business, as we strongly believe it is important to do good in our community, and we are grateful for every individual who chooses MonViso.”

MonViso water has low sodium levels making it a favourite amongst fitness experts in the UAE who promote the brand and its humanitarian initiative. MonViso is also a regular sponsor at the leading sporting events across the country and was the preferred water partner for the 2019 edition of the Dubai Fitness Challenge.

Next insight for MonViso is an eco-conscious initiative to recycle used bottles into ‘Take Water, Give Life’ merchandise in collaboration with DGrade who transforms them into t-shirts, caps, string bags, and other products with all net proceeds dedicated to Al Jalila Foundation.

In keeping its CSR promise, MonViso has donated almost 800,000 litres through monthly charitable contributions to support patient treatment and pioneering medical research. Visit the MonViso eShop here to place your order and make every litre count.

Stories of Hope

Baby’s family grateful for a helping hand

A month after her birth it was apparent that baby Sarah had severe developmental delays and the doctors discovered that she was suffering with nephrotic syndrome, a rare kidney disease.

Sarah’s parents were heartbroken when their daughter had to be admitted to hospital and it could take some time for her condition to improve.

The doctors advised that Sarah required a long-term treatment plan including regular assessments at the nephrology clinic. To add to the family’s turmoil, the lengthy stays at the hospital were not covered under their insurance plan and they desperately needed a helping hand. Al Jalila Foundation in partnership with the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) launched an SMS campaign to raise funds to sponsor Sarah’s treatment.

“I’m unable to express my gratitude to Al Jalila Foundation for helping my family emotionally and financially. We had feared we could not support our daughter through her illness and the Foundation treated her as their own. I will never forget this kindness and I hope one day to help other people in the same situation.”

Today Sarah, almost one year old, is responding very well to treatment and her parents are delighted their daughter is home safely with them.

Stories of Hope

Dubai runners donate miles for smiles

Since inception, Al Jalila Foundation has encouraged thousands of motivated individuals and teams to raise funds by taking part in sports challenges. These endurance runs, triathlons, marathons and more have been instrumental to raising awareness and providing hope to patients suffering from chronic illnesses.

Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, sporting events around the country were cancelled which meant that local athletes had to look for new creative ways to carry on supporting their favourite charitable causes.

Run 4 A Purpose (R4AP) is a Dubai based running club founded by Essam Adam as a way to give back to the local community. Determined to continue to use their passion for running to help save lives, R4AP celebrated their fourth anniversary by donating AED 1 per kilometre run throughout the month of June to Al Jalila Foundation to support children’s treatment. More than 50 members from the running club participated in the RUNniversary charity challenge and raised more than AED 13,000.

R4AP aims to inspire others to make a difference to young patients’ lives in the UAE. You can join them for a run or donate on the R4AP Hopasports page here.

Stories of Hope

Joy is restored for young heart patient

Salim was born with a ventricular septal deformity, a hole in his heart, which caused developmental delays, fatigue when feeding, coughing and shortness of breath. Although, his parents faithfully followed his condition with the doctors in the hope that there would be an improvement, by the time he reached 5-months-old his symptoms began to deteriorate. He suffered from shortness of breath and due to severe lack of oxygen his skin had begun to turn blue. It was clear that Salim needed to undergo open heart surgery immediately.

The biggest challenge facing the family were the medical expenses but a friend directed them to Al Jalila Foundation where they found relief in their time of need.

“The support of the foundation and the hospital was not limited to performing surgery and medical care. They offered kindness and reassurance during the entire period of Salim’s intensive care until he left the hospital. It is with enormous gratitude to Al Jalila Foundation and the medical team that my child is in very good health and continues to improve day by day.”

Since 2013, with the dedicated support of donors, Al Jalila Foundation has been able to provide quality treatment to 844 patients like young Salim who were suffering from life threatening illnesses.

Press Release

91 Scientists from 26 institutions across the UAE apply for Al Jalila Foundation’s research grants to combat COVID-19

Al Jalila Foundation, a member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, announced today that 91 scientists from 26 educational institutions across the UAE have applied for seed grants for research on combating the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

In line with its mission to transform lives, the global philanthropic organisation has been supporting talented biomedicine scientists in a number of research areas including cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes since its inception in 2013 investing over AED25 million to advance medical research. In April, Al Jalila Foundation expanded its research portfolio in response to the COVID-19 global outbreak.

The sixth seed grant cycle offers research grants of up to AED500,000 to support scientists in conducting 1 to 2-year research projects to investigate the pathology, diagnostics, epidemiology, transmission, therapeutics, and prevention related to COVID-19 with a specific focus on the UAE population and demographics. Applications received support 46 basic, 27 translational, and 18 clinical research projects. The prestigious grants open to UAE Nationals and residents saw applications from scientists of 31 nationalities conducting research at the nation’s most prestigious institutions including Mohamed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Khalifa University of Science and Technology; United Arab Emirates University; New York University Abu Dhabi; American University of Sharjah and University of Sharjah.

Her Excellency Dr Raja Al Gurg, Member of the Board of Trustees of Al Jalila Foundation and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Al Jalila Foundation, commented: “Al Jalila Foundation’s investment in medical research reaffirms our commitment to embed research and innovation in the fabric of the UAE’s long-term healthcare strategy. By supporting talented scientists and investing in research, we are developing the next generation of innovators in health sciences and paving the way for medical breakthroughs to save lives.”

Dr Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “The COVID-19 global outbreak has amplified the need to invest in pioneering medical research. Now, more than ever, we are counting on scientists and doctors coming together to develop better diagnostic testing, treatments, and gain a better understanding of the coronavirus and other viral diseases. We are delighted with the incredible response we have received from the scientific community and confident about what this round of research grants will yield towards supporting the fight to combat the coronavirus.”

The applications are assessed through a stringent independent international peer review process overseen by a Scientific Advisory Committee. The committee is made up of the most brilliant minds in the region who work with the international peer review panel to award research grants to the most deserving scientists.

Professor Yousef Mohamed Abdulrazzaq AlBastaki, Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “We are very pleased by the great interest in our research grants and the quality of applications received from leading scientists at prestigious institutions across the UAE. Research is vital in building a knowledge-based economy and transforming the healthcare system to be more research oriented, and hence, improving people’s lives with better diagnostics and treatments. We look forward to supporting new ground-breaking research projects that will hopefully lead to medical discoveries and potentially a treatment for COVID-19 and other such viruses.”

Since inception in 2013, Al Jalila Foundation has provided opportunities to increase innovative and impactful medical research investing AED25 million to award 95 research grants and 8 international research fellowships at leading global institutions in the UK, USA and Japan to discover solutions for the region’s biggest health challenges.

The successful applicants will be announced by the end of September 2020 with research commencing in October 2020.

Stories of Hope

Hanah’s Gift of Hearing

When 9-month-old Hanah contracted life threatening meningitis it left her with irreversible hearing loss. Hope was close by when her parents learned that the cutting edge cochlear implant would restore her hearing. However, at a large cost the transforming solution was out of their reach. Al Jalila Foundation stepped in to fund the procedure and young Hanah, now 7-years-old, is a confident, adventurous, bright young child who excels at school and loves music. The overjoyed parents expressed: “Thank you for changing our child’s life forever. We are eternally grateful to Al Jalila Foundation for giving Hanah the greatest gift of all – the gift of hearing.”

According to the World Health Organization, 32 million children globally are affected by hearing impairment and in the Middle East, hearing loss is one of the region’s top five health problems, estimated to affect 1 in 25 people. Cochlear implants are highly effective in young children as the early stages of brain development maximises the child’s ability to develop speech, language and listening skills, ultimately transforming their life.

Hanah is one of 37 brave little warriors, sponsored by Al Jalila Foundation, who underwent a cochlear implant to restore her hearing. This innovative technology was only made possible by advancements in research and today, we are able to witness the transformative power this medical marvel has had on young lives like Hanah.