Fatima was only 8 months old when her parents took her to have her hearing checked as she did not seem to be responding to sounds or even loud noises. After several tests, the doctors confirmed that she suffered from severe hearing loss.

Fatima’s parents were devastated to realise that their daughter would go through her life without hearing their voices and worried about the difficulties she would face throughout her life without the gift of hearing to support her.

After the use of a hearing aid had failed, hope came when the doctor recommended the cutting-edge cochlear implant that works to restore a young child’s hearing so that they can grow up to hear and speak similar to other children.

Unfortunately, the cochlear implant was very expensive, but Fatima’s parents were determined to give her the best solution possible. They appealed to Al Jalila Foundation for help and were rewarded with support and Fatima underwent the implant surgery in August 2022. In 4 short months Fatima is able to hear much of the world around her and is even pronouncing many words without having yet attended the speech therapy classes.

Fatima’s parents are in awe of her progress and beyond grateful for the support. “We cannot thank Al Jalila Foundation enough for the support you have given our daughter. Fatima has been given the gift of hearing and she will be able to live a full life with sound and music.”

Through a culture of corporate social responsibility amongst employees Dubai Duty Free has impacted many people both globally and locally. Dubai Duty Free Foundation aims to raise funds for charitable causes with a particular interest in programs that benefit children.

Al Jalila Foundation has been a grateful beneficiary of Dubai Duty Free since 2017 when they pledged AED 5 million to support our Ta’alouf Training Program to benefit children of determination and invest in medical research. Through AED 500,000 donated annually over the course of 10 years, Al Jalila Foundation has already graduated 1020 parents and teachers from 16 cohorts of Ta’alouf Training program to empower caregivers of children of determination and invested in several vital research studies.

In appreciation for their amazing contributions, Al Jalila Foundation was delighted to welcome Dubai Duty Free to Al Jalila Foundation to engrave their name on Bassmat Rashid Bin Saeed donor recognition wall taking their place amongst other pioneers of hope.

Dubai Duty Free CEO and Executive Vice Chairman Colm McLoughlin commented on the recognition, “We have been supporting Al Jalila Foundation since 2017 and we are honoured to support the organisation’s mission to advance medical research in the UAE. Today more than ever, we need to safeguard the health and safety of our people and continue to maintain the values of philanthropy.”

Marriott has been a long-standing partner of Al Jalila Foundation who continuously innovates and amplifies their efforts through various campaigns to support our healthcare programs.

Every year Marriott motivates their employees to raise funds to support children in need of treatment in the region. 2022 was no exception with the annual ‘Road to Awareness’ program once again coming in as a triumphant success raising more than AED 1.8 million to support Al Jalila Foundations ‘Farah’ program that gives hope to sick children and their families.

Every year Marriott is consistent in their support to fight breast cancer through our #PINKtober campaign. In October 2022, 46 Marriott properties across the UAE held innovative fundraising activities and events making an astonishing contribution of more than AED 650,000 to support breast cancer treatment and research.

In addition to Marriott’s incredible activations, participation in charity campaigns and donations, they consistently offer gourmet catering to various events at Majlis Al Amal women’s cancer drop-in centre. The 5-star catering is a welcome treat to the ladies visiting the centre who often express how they feel so pampered and spoiled by the delicious tea selections and healthy menus.

Thanks to Marriott’s generous philanthropic culture, in 2022 alone they have donated over AED 2.5 million to support Al Jalila Foundation and offered delectable catering to more than 10 charity events.

Since birth, 4-year-old Saja suffered from limb abnormalities which meant that she could not stand or walk without assistance. Unfortunately, due to her medical condition, Saja was a very quiet and shy little girl and grew more self-conscious as she became more aware that she was unable to walk, run and play like other children.

Saja’s parents were eager to improve her quality of life and sought out experts’ advice who recommended that their daughter would greatly benefit from specialised orthoses for her legs and feet to give her mobility.

The knowledge that there was a solution to Saja’s immobility was great news to her parents, but they were at a loss as to how they would be able to fund the highly advanced leg splints and medical shoes. They appealed to Al Jalila Foundation who launched a fundraising campaign on the A’awen Giving patient crowdfunding website. The positive response from the community was overwhelming and the full amount needed for the orthoses was raised in a very short period of time.

Thanks to the generous support of donors Saja has been fitted with cutting-edge leg splints and shoes that allow her far greater mobility and confidence.

Saja’s mother is in awe of the positive change she has seen in her daughter, “I cannot offer my appreciation enough to Al Jalila Foundation and the incredible UAE community who contributed to drawing a smile on the face of my child. It is thanks to your goodness and generosity that Saja who lacked confidence is now full of life and eager to explore the world. The happiness I see on her face every day is a constant reminder for the great gift we have been given.”

If you live in the UAE you will certainly know the name dnata and would likely have used their services. What you may not have known is that when you engaged the services or bought products from dnata you were supporting Al Jalila Foundation healthcare programs.

Since 2019 dnata, the leading global air and travel services provider in the Middle East, has initiated and executed some amazing philanthropic activities and fundraising events throughout the year to improve the lives of patients in the UAE.

With breast cancer as the key theme during October dnata Travel jumped at the chance to be a part of our #PINKtober campaign by donating a percentage of all holiday bookings to support breast cancer research and treatment. In order to raise more awareness for the disease they even painted one of the airplane pushback tractors pink to promote regular screening and early detection of breast cancer. Travellers from all over the world who used Dubai International (DXB) airport would have likely seen dnata’s eye-catching pink equipment while waiting for their flight.

In addition to charity activations the travel group has dnata4good, an employee-driven initiative that supports the communities in which they operate. The importance of social accountability and making an impact beyond business goals is key and dnata4good pledges to give back to the communities by supporting charities and community development projects that align with their charitable pillars: Community, Environment and Wellbeing.

Thanks to the continuous support of dnata management and employees the team have raised almost AED 100,000 to support Al Jalila Foundation programs.

Through the Ta’alouf Teachers Training program, Al Jalila Foundation is committed to supporting inclusion in the classroom so that every child of determination can reach their full potential. Since 2014 the Ta’alouf Teachers Training program, in partnership with Zayed University, has been offered to educators across the UAE equipping them with the skills they need to ensure all the children attending their classes will blossom and develop to the greatest of their abilities.

St. Mary’s Catholic High School, Fujairah has been sending their teachers to the one-year program since 2018 which has contributed to far greater inclusion of children with all abilities in their classes.

Principal Father Suresh Kumar has noticed a marked improvement in the school, “Through the Al Jalila Foundation Ta’alouf Teachers Training program, the teachers at St. Mary’s Catholic High School, Fujairah have been able to adapt their approach to special education within their classrooms. The teachers have been able to better assist in early identification and subsequently suggest and implement strategies to support these children to reach their highest potential. As a result, the school continually progresses towards the goal of being an inclusive learning environment. We are excited to continue our partnership with Al Jalila Foundation and increase our capacity for inclusion.”

Al Jalila Foundation, in partnership with Zayed University, has trained 548 teachers from 163 government and private schools across the seven emirates, to deliver on our commitment to support the happiness and wellbeing of children of determination.

The game of golf has a long history of being a leader in philanthropic contributions and giving to charity is an integral part of the sport. The sport can even be recognised as the leader in charitable giving around the world setting the benchmark for incorporating sports and philanthropy.

The UAE hosts some of the most important tournaments in the world and we have witnessed amazing support from our local golf partners like Dubai Golf. Dubai Golf holds several events and tournaments at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club and Emirates Golf Club to support Al Jalila Foundation throughout the year. These events range from local club members getting together to support their dedicated cause to world class events featuring the stars of the sport.

These prestigious golf events have not only led to great fundraising but have opened many avenues for other partnerships. Massive, televised events have shown our logo to the world as world famous golfers wear pink in support of breast cancer research in the UAE and beyond. We have even had several star professional golfers visit Al Jalila foundation to donate a portion of their winnings to charity and have their name engraved on Bassmat Rashid Bin Saeed donor recognition wall.

We are grateful and proud of our partnership with Dubai Golf who, since 2015, have raised an astonishing AED 800,000 for Al Jalila Foundation. We look forward to many more years of working together for the greater good of the community.

Pier Shilliday found small lumps under her arm and on her bikini line during her husband’s 40th birthday celebrations and was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on 30 October 2021.

On 16 November 2021 Pier started her treatment which included chemotherapy and radiation. Pier says “chemo was tough” but her biggest concern was explaining the diagnosis to her 5-year-old daughter and how she would react when “mummy lost her hair”. Children are resilient and Pier and her husband tried to include April as much as possible in the most age-appropriate way to make it less “scary” – when her husband shaved her hair, April was part of it.

Pier’s positivity got her through the tough days and as life slowed down so that she could focus on her health, Pier pursued art. It was a fun activity to do with her daughter and her creativity flourished. Pier found solace in art and it was the beginning of her journey as an artist.

When Pier visited Majlis Al Amal, she did so with some hesitation. “I am in tears thinking about that first day I walked into Majlis Al Amal, how I felt its immediate calmness, and the warm welcome I received from everyone who was there that day. Since then, it has become my sanctuary, where I’ve met wonderful, positive women, and attended various activities, some of which I would never have contemplated before being diagnosed. I even encapsulated its spirit by doing a painting of the pink couch, where I have seen women consoling each other, inspiring each other, organising activities and outings with each other, even having meals or naps! Majlis Al Amal is truly a place to escape and be with women who have been through a similar journey to yourself. And that is a big comfort.”

Pier is the artist behind ‘The Pink Couch’ a beautiful tribute to Majlis Al Amal and the community of cancer warriors that have been a shoulder to lean on when life with cancer gets too much to bear. Pier recently had the honour of sharing her art notebook with Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), during her visit to the cancer drop-in centre. “It was an unforgettable experience, I never imagined that my cancer journey would lead me to this incredible moment” Pier exclaimed.

If you are a cancer patient or survivor, or know anyone that is, please join the Majlis Al Amal Facebook Group to connect with an inspiring community of hope.

Imagine for a minute that you could not hear the birds singing, the leaves fluttering in the wind, and the laughter of children playing in the park. Imagine a world without sound. Now, imagine a parent who has just been told that their child cannot hear. Despair turns to hope when they learn of the cochlear implant – a surgically implanted electronic device that restores hearing.  However, for many families, the cochlear implant is out of reach as it is an expensive procedure that requires extensive post-operative speech therapy and rehabilitation.

At the heart of our A’awen program is our mission to help improve the lives of patients. With A’awen, there is always hope.

When Swaba was born, her parents were devastated to learn that she could not hear. “It was heartbreaking. The doctor confirmed that she could not hear anything and we were told that her development would be slow,” says Raseena, Swaba’s mother.

Early intervention improves speech and hearing outcomes. It is crucial that children with hearing loss are treated as early as possible. Swaba was eligible for a cochlear implant with all the costs covered by Al Jalila Foundation.

Since the cochlear implant surgery and the activation 3-year-old Swaba has become very inquisitive;  she is imitating sounds and can already say “mama” and “baba” much to her parents’ delight. When Swaba heard for the first time her parents were overwhelmed with joy, and so much hope! In that moment, the sweet little girl’s life was changed forever. Swaba received a precious, life-transforming gift: the gift of hearing. She still has a long road to recovery but the path ahead is bright and full of hope.

Click here to watch Swaba’s video.