All posts by Abdullah Zafar
Al Jalila Foundation celebrates completion of the 20th cohort of Ta’alouf Parents Training with 834 graduates since program launch in 2013
Al Jalila Foundation, a member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, dedicated to transforming lives through medical innovation, celebrated the graduation of the 20th cohort of Ta’alouf Parents Training program marking 834 graduates since the launch of the program in 2013 reaffirming its commitment to children of determination.
The graduation coincides with the 6th anniversary of Ta’alouf which has been offered in 4 Emirates with over 39 nationalities participating in the program. Since 2013, with the support of partners and donors, Al Jalila Foundation has invested AED 6 million to provide parents with the knowledge and power to broaden the horizons of children of determination enabling them to reach their full potential and realise their dreams.
Dr Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, Chief Executive Officer of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “The completion of the 20th cohort in Ras Al Khaimah signifies a key milestone in our commitment to an inclusive society where parents, educators, strategic partners and the wider community work together to empower children of determination. At the heart of Ta’alouf is social inclusion and we will continue to champion it in our classrooms, our playgrounds and our communities so that every child, no matter their ability, has the opportunity to shine. It is heartwarming to hear testimonies how ‘life-changing’ the program has been and that it continues to assist parents in bringing out the best in their special children.”
Ta’alouf began with an inaugural class of 55 parents devoted to better understanding their children and now boasts hundreds of graduates. This cohort is the 5th in partnership with Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination which has expanded Al Jalila Foundation’s reach to more families throughout the Emirates.
His Excellency Abdullah Al-Humaidan, Secretary-General of Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, said: “Under the directives and leadership of His Highness Sheikh Khalid Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, the Ta’alouf program in partnership with Al Jalila Foundation has expanded to Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Northern Emirates with 252 parents and families benefiting. We would like to thank Al Jalila Foundation for giving us the opportunity to implement this inspiring program and transforming lives of parents of children of determination.”
Al Jalila Foundation works with partners to offer the Ta’alouf program which benefits a huge cross-section of the community, including families living with Autism, Down Syndrome and other developmental delays. The 20th cohort in Ras Al Khaimah is sponsored by RAKBANK.
Commenting on the Ta’alouf program, Peter England, CEO of RAKBANK said: “In line with RAKBANK’s values of social inclusion, the Bank is proud to support Ta’alouf, which aims to equip parents of children of determination with life-changing skills to nurture their children. It is a privilege to partner with Al Jalila Foundation to deliver the 20th parents training cohort in Ras Al Khaimah, enhancing knowledge and cultivating skills to achieve their children’s full potential and realize their dreams and aspirations. At RAKBANK, we believe that our long-term success as a national bank lies in growing people’s trust in us by increasing our social responsibility towards our community.”
Following the success of the parents training program and positive impact on families, in 2014 Ta’alouf expanded to include teachers as a central influence in children’s formative years. The Ta’alouf Teachers Training program, in partnership with Zayed University, has graduated 343 teachers from 71 schools in the UAE. Al Jalila Foundation continues to champion children of determination with the 6th Teachers Training cohort commencing on 5 November 2019.
IGNITE #PinkIsPunk
Our Partnerships Power Hope
October 2019
October is a significant month at Al Jalila Foundation and while we see the temperatures cool, the spirit of philanthropy heats up across the nation with our 5th #PINKtober campaign to support breast cancer research.With the publication of this edition of Hadeyat Al Ata’a we celebrate 2 years of sharing inspirational news made possible with your incredible support.Partnerships are the foundation to the success of our healthcare programs and each one of our beneficiaries have a heartwarming Story of Hope whether it is a patient who received lifesaving treatment.
Scientist studies the effect of carnosol on breast cancer
Celebrated scientist and Al Jalila Foundation research grant recipient, Professor Rabah Iratni from United Arab Emirates University, is studying a naturally occurring polyphenol, carnosol, and its effect on breast cancer.
Breast cancer ranks as the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide with triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) being the most aggressive and invasive form with the worst prognosis. Sadly, TNBCs lack effective treatments with identification of targeted efficient therapies remaining a clinical challenge.
Professor Iratni previously reported that carnosol, a natural compound found in rosemary and sage, induced cell death of the mutant TNBC cells through activation of both autophagic and apoptotic pathways.
This study aims to explain the molecular mechanism through which carnosol exerts its anti-TNBC activity. Based on preliminary results, the team hypothesize that one possible mechanism of action of carnosol on TNBC is through the downregulation of the death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1), a protein recently shown to be essential for the growth TNBCs. The hope is that the findings from this study may reveal a novel therapeutic approach based on small natural molecules targeting DAPK1 in aggressive forms of breast cancer and that carnosol may serve as lead agent for the development of such anti-cancer therapy.
Read more about Professor Iratni’s research here.
Al Jalila Foundation launches 5th Edition of #PINKtober as part of the global Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Al Jalila Foundation, a member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, dedicated to transforming lives through medical innovation, announced today the fifth edition of the nationwide #PINKtober campaign in the lead to Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
In the UAE, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women constituting 38% of all female cancers which has steadily increased over the last 3 decades. Due to the high prevalence and importance of the disease, Al Jalila Foundation partnered with Brest Friends in 2015 to focus on medical research and improve treatment to combat the disease and ultimately, save lives. To date, Al Jalila Foundation has dedicated over AED 5 million to provide life-saving treatment to 34 patients and fund 9 breast cancer research projects, comprising of 32 leading scientists, investigating the epidemiology of breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a global movement that has been present in the UAE for over 20 years with the pink ribbon emerging as a symbol of hope. What began as just a few people spreading the message on the existence of the disease, urging women to seek early detection, has turned into a bold campaign championed by people from all cultures, backgrounds and age groups proving that breast cancer is a disease that touches everyone.
2019 marks the 5th edition of #PINKtober led by Al Jalila Foundation in partnership with Brest Friends that has witnessed 419 pink themed community fundraising events to support breast cancer treatment and research.
Dr Abdulkareem Al Olama, Chief Executive Officer of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “Breast cancer remains one of the most serious health challenges and we must support medical research to improve survival rates. Every year during October, we receive overwhelming support from the community to help raise awareness and funds for breast cancer treatment and research in the UAE. #PINKtober events have the power to bring communities together to champion charitable causes and we are proud of our partners’ extraordinary efforts and philanthropic spirit.”
In the past 4 years the month-long community campaign has seen over 400 pink-themed activities and events by government entities, corporates, schools, retailers, hospitality and individual fundraisers. Hundreds of schools in the UAE have taken a lead with young people becoming the messengers of hope in raising awareness on the importance of medical research to save lives by organising bake sales, concerts, art exhibitions, amongst others.
Sports events have proven to be a successful platform uniting the community to champion healthy living. Since inception Al Jalila Foundation has actively promoted sports as a vehicle for fundraising and has been the official charity partner for hundreds of sports events across the UAE including annual flagships events: IGNITE Pink in Punk, ADCB Zayed Sports City Pink Run, Emirates Golf Club Pink Ball Competition and the Fitness First Pink Party.
Dr Houriya Kazim, President and Founder of Brest Friends, said: “Dealing with cancer is one of the hardest challenges that patients and their families could face and Brest Friends in partnership with Al Jalila Foundation aims to be that nurturing support to those coping with the disease. Through spreading the message and giving hope, thousands of women’s lives have been changed as they are able to receive the life-saving treatment they need. Our aim is to keep the campaign message alive beyond October, 365 days a year, echoing the success of the collective efforts for a breast cancer-free world.”
Since the launch of the iconic pink ribbon in 1992, the global campaign attracts support from every sector of society to champion research to end the disease. Major landmarks around the world, including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, have turned pink in honour of the campaign’s mission to create a breast cancer-free world. The campaign continues to grow with hundreds of pink-themed events held across the UAE to increase awareness of the disease and raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.
Dr Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama invites the community to be part of #PINKtober: “Join Al Jalila Foundation this October and make a difference in the lives of patients and families affected by breast cancer.”
Abtaal Al Jalila
Aya pursues a career in medicine
Aya Akhras’ lifelong dream was to help people and while excelling at biology in high school she set her sights on becoming a doctor. Thanks to her exceptional academic record, in 2016, Aya gained admission to the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Healthcare Sciences (MBRU) College of Medicine to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) with a scholarship from Al Jalila Foundation.
“The Al Jalila Foundation scholarship and studying at MBRU give me a great sense of accomplishment and I feel honored to be recognised for my efforts while doing what I love.”
Over the past 3 years, Aya has proven herself a worthy candidate for the sought after scholarship and participated in an internship at Queens University in Belfast, a summer research program at Mayo Clinic and an observership at Cleveland Clinic. Aya is also very involved in student life at MBRU and in addition to her rigorous academic schedule Aya is an aspiring baker who sees baking as a way of spreading happiness and connecting people.
Expected to graduate in 2022, Aya believes that the physician of the future is a multi-faceted individual capable of displaying their talents in many ways. “I see myself practicing as a physician, researcher and hopefully obtaining a position in academia, as I am passionate about medical education and educating the physicians of the digital age.”
Giving Hope with Al Jalila Foundation
September 2019
As a global philanthropic organisation we aim to make a difference by empowering people to offer their unique contribution to better the world through medical innovation. On the occasion of International Day of Charity, Al Jalila Foundation takes the opportunity to inspire giving initiatives and activities to touch the lives of children. Each step we take brings with it a new sense of hope lighting the path for a brighter future and we invite you to make a donation to help us transform lives. Explore some of our programs to see how you can spread hope with Al Jalila Foundation, today.