Category Archives: Stories of Hope

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Stories of Hope

Baby Khaled gets a new lease of life

When baby Khaled was born his parents were overjoyed for the wonderful blessing in their life. Unfortunately, shortly after his birth it was discovered that he had a congenital heart defect that was life-threatening. However, thanks to advances in medicine hope was not lost for baby Khaled. The doctors confirmed that he would need two open-heart surgeries before the age of two in order to live a full and healthy life.

His parents were thrilled to know their son had a chance at life but also at a loss as to how they were going to be able to fund the surgeries.

The medical team recommended they apply to Al Jalila Foundation paediatric program, Farah, to help them fund the needed treatment. Much to their relief, their prayers were answered and Khaled was able to get the medical care he needed.

Khaled’s father was overwhelmed with joy: “Words cannot express the gratitude we have for the generous support we have received for our son’s life-saving treatment. Al Jalila Foundation stepped in to help us when we needed it the most and we are so happy to have our beloved son now by our side.”

Both the surgeries were successful and little Khaled is in stable condition and growing into a healthy and happy young boy.

Stories of Hope

Thannon all set to fulfil his dream to be a doctor

Al Jalila Foundation is invested in nurturing the next generation of medical talent in the UAE through providing scholarships to promising young medical students.

One shining student was 2016 high school graduate Thannon Aysar Thannon who excelled in his studies and was looking to get into a prestigious medical school. Thannon was accepted into Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) six-year program in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). In addition to earning the coveted place at MBRU his record was so outstanding that he received the Al Jalila Foundation scholarship based on merit.

“As a result of receiving the Al Jalila Foundation scholarship, I have been able to follow my passion to become a doctor and transform the lives of people. It is an honour to receive the scholarship, which has helped me to gain new skills and move forward towards my goals. The scholarship has given me the freedom to seek out learning opportunities in the UAE and beyond. This has further prepared me to serve the local community and become a better equipped doctor in the process.”

Thannon has excelled at every level of his studies and is on track to graduate the class of 2022 and we look forward to watching as he starts the next chapter of his medical career.

Research Matters, Stories of Hope

Researcher evaluates the effect of smoking on health

Tobacco use is one of the leading causes of non-infectious disease deaths worldwide. Globally, and in the Middle East, cigarette smoking and alternative forms of tobacco smoking such as shisha and dokha has attracted serious public health concern.

Professor Sausan Al Kawas from University of Sharjah lead an investigation, supported by Al Jalila Foundation, on the effects of smoking dokha and other tobacco on the composition of oral microbiome in relation to oral health and associated with increases in the risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity.

The oral microbiome plays a key role in human health and contributes to many diseases including both oral and systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Tobacco smoking affects the microbial ecology through several mechanisms leading to unbalanced microbiome or dysbiosis.

The effect of smoking different tobacco types on the supragingival and subgingival microbiome has not been reported previously.

By conducting a comprehensive oral examination and assessment of oral microbiome composition in different groups of smoker and none smoker individuals, the team found altered subgingival microbial communities in smokers. These findings suggest that periodontal microbiome dysbiosis is promoted by smoking tobacco and is associated with periodontitis.

In conclusion, cigarettes and alternative types of tobacco including dokha and shisha significantly altered both supragingival and subgingival plaque microbiome. Understanding the factors which alter the microbial community in the oral cavity is crucial to the design of health-promoting strategies for tobacco cessation for better oral and general health.

Stories of Hope

EWINGS contributes to life-saving treatment for young patient

Since establishment, EWINGS managing operator of Mahzooz has been a champion for Al Jalila Foundation and our patient treatment program. In 2020 EWINGS made a donation, on behalf of Mahzooz, to support patients in need and added their name on Bassmat Rashid Bin Saeed donor wall in recognition of their support.

Following the launch of Al Jalila Foundation A’awen Giving website, EWINGS saw the opportunity to support individual patients and make a real difference in their life.  After carefully reviewing the patient stories the team adopted the case of a very deserving young man, Abdulrahman.

13-year-old Abdulrahman had developed severe maxillofacial (mouth and jaw) cysts that meant he was unable to eat or sleep due to the obstructions and relentless pain.  Urgent surgery was needed to remove the cysts so he could live a happy pain-free life. Almost 200 individuals donated online to help Abdulrahman, and EWINGS, on behalf of Mahzooz, offered to cover the remaining sum needed to reach 100% of the campaign’s fundraising target for his surgery.

Mahzooz is dedicated to giving back to the community and making people’s dreams come true.  Farid Samji, CEO of EWINGS, said “Contributing to noble causes is always on top of the priority list of Mahzooz.  We will continue to extend our support to people in need through our community partners like Al Jalila Foundation. This agreement is one of the many endeavours that underline EWINGS’ commitment to giving back to the community.”

Watch the heartfelt testimony from Abdulrahman’s mother here.

Research Matters, Stories of Hope

Scientist explores effects of oxytocin on heart disease

According to the World Heart Federation over 17 million people die from cardiovascular disease annually making it the leading causes of death globally. It is also the primary cause of death in the UAE contributing to 30% of fatalities.

To tackle this problem, Al Jalila Foundation funds several research studies in the UAE including one lead by Professor Anatoliy Shmygol from United Arab Emirates University. Professor Anatoliy’s study works to discover the mechanisms of direct effects of oxytocin on cardiac electrophysiology and excitation-contraction.

Oxytocin is often referred to as the “hormone of happiness” and is associated with childbirth, breast feeding and maternal behavior. However, in recent years, it has become clear that oxytocin plays a much wider role in human biology.

It is involved in various physiological processes including cardiovascular function. Oxytocin has been found to play a protective role against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and against the diabetes-induced cardiomyopathy.

Professor Anatoliy and his team have discovered, in addition to their known expression in cardiac myocytes, oxytocin receptors are also expressed in cardiac fibroblasts.

The research has found that application of oxytocin to normal cardiac fibroblasts triggers robust increases of cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration. Future work is planned to evaluate the pathophysiological significance and this work will provide theoretical basis for development of new therapeutics to treat heart disease.

Stories of Hope

Salama has a bright future ahead

Salama was born with a congenital heart defect that could be potentially life-threatening as she grew older. The doctors continuously monitored to assess her condition and decide on the best course of treatment. By the age of three and a half years old it was recommended that she needed to undergo open heart surgery urgently to repair the hole in her heart.

Salama’s parents were desperate to follow through with the much-needed surgery but found the cost of the procedure well out of their reach. Upon recommendation from the medical team, they applied for financial support from Al Jalila Foundation and were relieved to be able to access the crucial help for young Salama.

“Our distress over our daughter’s health was already too much to bear and the financial strain made it even more overwhelming. Today we could not be more happy and grateful for the incredible support we received from Al Jalila Foundation who gave Salama a new lease of life!”

Salama’s open heart surgery was successfully carried out at the end of 2020 and today she is an energetic toddler living a full and happy life without any complications.

Stories of Hope

Ta’alouf fills students of determination with hope

Al Jalila Foundation’s Ta’alouf Teachers Training Program, in partnership with Zayed University, equips teachers from public and private schools with skills to broaden inclusivity in their classrooms and empower children of determination. The program was born out of the principle that every child, no matter their ability, has enormous potential and it must be channeled to empower the child to live a happy and productive life.

The end of the school year 2021 saw the graduation of 62 teachers as qualified leaders of inclusion in their classrooms. Due to various COVID-19 restrictions the 7th cohort of the Ta’alouf program was delivered in English and Arabic solely through online sessions.

Dr Anna Ferreira, the program lead, said “Being the academic coordinator for the Ta’alouf Teacher Training program is a great privilege. We have trained almost 500 teachers over a period of seven years with exceptionally positive feedback from both the teachers and schools.  It is inspiring to see how the program has made a difference to students of determination and their families – and will continue to in the years to come.”

To date, the Ta’alouf Teachers Training Program has trained educators from 131 schools who together have impacted 43,290 students in the UAE.

Stories of Hope

ENBD draws in community to help patients

Emirates NBD, a long-term partner of Al Jalila Foundation, is driven by their passion to give back to the community and have engaged in several employee-lead campaigns to support our healthcare programs over the years.

In 2021, the leading UAE banking group wanted to share the true spirit of Ramadan through its #FastWithFriends social media challenge. They encouraged people from all cultures and faiths in the UAE to learn about the importance of fasting by joining their Muslim friends in the experience for a day.

For each day that a fellow non-Muslim chose to fast with a friend and share their journey on social media using the hashtag #FastWithFriends, Emirates NBD donated AED 100 to Al Jalila Foundation. The month-long virtual campaign was so successful the bank contributed AED 500,000 to give life-changing treatment to patients.

Our CEO Dr Abdulkareem Al Olama knows that it is only through dedicated partners and campaigns like this that we can transform lives in our community: “This unique fundraising initiative brought together people from all walks of life, to give patients the greatest gift of all – the gift of health. It is through the generous support of industry leaders, like ENBD, that we are able to do the work we do.”

Research Matters, Stories of Hope

Pioneering breast cancer treatment

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and by funding breast cancer research, Al Jalila Foundation is enabling UAE-based scientist Dr Mawieh Hamad from University of Sharjah to ‘evaluate the anti-carcinogenic potential of biologically-driven intracellular iron depletion’ and discover improved treatment options for patients.

Breast cancer cells appear to exhibit increased levels of oxidative stress while iron chelation (removal of iron excess) has shown to minimise oxidative stress levels to where cell growth and division is reduced or stopped. However, iron chelation therapy carries toxic risks that potentially result in significant side-effects and even death. Other studies have suggested that estrogen treatment may also lead to intracellular iron depletion to minimise oxidative stress levels in cancer cells.

This study is examining the capacity of estrogen receptor (ER) engagement to induce cellular iron depletion and anti-growth effects in breast cancer cells.  The work has shown that ER signaling associates with significant labile iron pool (LIP) depletion resulting in reduced cell viability and proliferation with increased cell autophagy. This suggests the carcinogenic potential of ER signaling may exert significant anti-growth effects in cancer.  The study is currently in testing stages and data has already been presented in international scientific meetings and published in several international peer-reviewed journals.

Read more here about this promising research to give hope to breast cancer patients.

Stories of Hope

Ta’alouf empowers Kerolos to realise his potential

12-year-old Kerolos Mina Albert was born with Autism into a loving family who have always looked for ways to help him live a full life. Unfortunately, children with Autism often have difficulty expressing themselves which in turn makes it very challenging for parents to support them.

Kerolos’ mother, Youstina, had always been eager to learn as much of her son’s communication methods as possible and jumped on the opportunity to attend the Ta’alouf Parents Training program which empowers parents to give their children as much nurturing as they can. Since the training was held online it was very practical for his mother to attend the classes without having to leave home.

Ta’alouf program helped Kerolos’ mother meet her son’s needs: “I was feeling overwhelmed, but the Ta’alouf training was incredibly beneficial and gave me the confidence to focus on my son’s strengths. The trainers were extremely knowledgeable and approachable and really made me fully aware of the rights of people of determination and what services are available in the UAE. I would highly recommend this program to parents who have children of determination.”

These stories give us great joy and inspire us to continue our work to support children of determination and their families.