Al Jalila Foundation, a global philanthropic healthcare organisation dedicated to transforming lives, announced the successful completion of the annual Ramadan campaign ‘basma’, smile in Arabic, launched in partnership with a number of hospitality, leisure and retail outlets across the UAE. In its third year the month-long charity campaign has proven to be an established feature on the Ramadan calendar with the record number of 130 retail, hospitality and strategic partners engaging their customers and raising AED 1.5 million to provide life-saving treatment and medical care to children in need.

In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, “to create hope, life and happiness for everyone in the UAE”, Al Jalila Foundation believes that health is the cornerstone to happiness and every child deserves the opportunity to grow up healthy, dream and realise their potential.

Al Jalila Foundation works closely with healthcare partners to develop special treatment programs that meet the needs of patients who are unable to afford quality care. Farah is the Foundation’s paediatric treatment program which to date has invested AED 22 million to help sick children in the UAE.

Her Excellency Dr Raja Easa Al Gurg, Chairperson of the Board of Directors and Member of the Board of Trustees of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “There can be no greater gift than to contribute to the well-being of children in our community and empowering the next generation. We are delighted that our basma campaign has once again brought together an unprecedented number of partners who devoted the month of giving to support Al Jalila Foundation in its mission to improve the lives of young patients.”

Al Jalila Foundation praised its basma partners for their creative initiatives and fundraising efforts to support medical treatment for children under the Ramadan campaign’s slogan “your gift, their smile”.

Long term partners Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) and Emirates National Bank of Dubai (ENBD) launched unique SMS campaigns to engage their networks through existing donation platforms. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) also lead an internal SMS campaign encouraging donations from employees.

noon, the home-grown digital marketplace, included a donation option at check-out, tajawal, a digital solution for holiday bookings, donated AED 5 from each transaction and My Quality & Convenience offered 10% of proceeds from online grocery sales.

The leading hospitality brands in the UAE joined the basma campaign including: 21 Marriott hotels; 11 Jumeirah Restaurant Group dining outlets; 7 Millennium Hotels and Resorts properties; Hyatt hotels; Atlantis The Palm; Media Rotana; Taj Dubai and Pullman Dubai JLT dedicated Iftar and Suhour proceeds to support the campaign. Haji Sahab Restaurant doubled their charity efforts by donating proceeds from Iftar packs distributed to thousands at labour camps in Dubai while Nando’s placed donation boxes at 21 outlets across the UAE. For the sweet-toothed 35 Shakespeare and Co. cafés, La Serre, Pastel Cakes and eat well Restaurant donated a portion of patisserie sales throughout the month.

Kiehl’s created a limited edition collection in collaboration with Lebanese illustrator Nouri Flayhan exclusively for Al Jalila Foundation and The Surf Café in partnership with MonViso Water curated a charity exhibition by local artists donating all sales proceeds. Splash ‘n’ Party, a Dubai kids water park, dedicated proceeds from ‘zipline’ tickets.

In addition to the basma campaign, BNI UAE chapter in partnership with Millennium Hotels and Resorts hosted an elegant charity gala ‘My Giftar’. Al Jalila Foundation also received generous donations during Ramadan from a number of organisations including Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank; Commercial Bank of Dubai; amongst others.

To conclude the month of giving and in celebration of Eid, Team Al Jalila visited young patients at Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital and spent time reading stories to the children, playing games and bringing some joy to the little ones. Drawing on the support of basma partners and the campaign’s values of generosity and compassion Al Jalila Foundation touched hearts and spread smiles to sick children most in need.

Al Jalila Foundation, a global philanthropic organization dedicated to transforming lives through medical innovation, today celebrated longstanding partner Brest Friends 14th anniversary acknowledging the impact the home-grown program has contributed to breast cancer awareness in the UAE.

It is estimated that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and it is the second leading cause of death among women. The high prevalence of the disease reinforces the critical need for medical research and improved treatment to save lives. Al Jalila Foundation and Brest Friends work together to raise awareness, fund treatment and invest in pioneering research.

Brest Friends was established in 2005 as the first breast cancer support group in the UAE, by Dr Houriya Kazim, the UAE’s first female surgeon, with the mission to save lives by increasing awareness of breast cancer and providing a platform where patients and survivors can learn, share experiences and offer moral and emotional support to each other which has proven to be instrumental in a woman’s healing process.

Dr Houriya Kazim, President, and Founder of Brest Friends commented: “We are delighted to achieve this milestone by honouring survivors and reflecting on the impact Brest Friends has made to women in the UAE. Breast cancer awareness has improved dramatically since 2005, thanks to the support of strong advocates and the community who promote and run campaigns highlighting the importance of early detection throughout the year. We would like to mark this anniversary by amplifying a message of hope that the disease can be beaten – there is life after cancer – and through ground-breaking research, we aim to develop tangible results to transform the future health of women.”

Brest Friends partnered with Al Jalila Foundation in 2015 expanding its capabilities to facilitate medical treatment and fund locally-based research into the epidemiology of breast cancer. The partnership has already yielded positive results with more than AED 5 million invested in life-saving treatment to support 34 women and fund 9 breast cancer research studies in the UAE.

Her Excellency Dr Raja Easa Al Gurg, Chairperson of the Board of Directors and Member of the Board of Trustees of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “We are proud to celebrate this milestone with Brest Friends who, over the last 14 years, has established itself as a beacon of hope for breast cancer patients in the UAE. Through our partnership, and with the help of our donors, we have been able to provide quality medical care and support to women with breast cancer. In line with our mission to advance medical research in the region we have funded a number of pioneering projects which are underway and promise to yield positive outcomes that will offer hope and healing to patients in the future.”

The anniversary event was generously sponsored by Grosvenor House Dubai who hosted Afternoon Tea at Rhodes W1 specially prepared by celebrity Chef Gary Rhodes himself who welcomed more than 100 Brest Friends members, patients, and survivors, commemorating the positive impact Brest Friends has had on women in the UAE. During the event, Pam Wilby, Complex General Manager, Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa and the Grosvenor House Dubai, presented a cheque of AED 540,000 a contribution from the two hotel properties to support Al Jalila Foundation’s breast cancer program.

Pam Wilby commented: “We are honoured to join hands with Al Jalila Foundation and Brest Friends to host their 14th Anniversary event at Rhodes W1 and raise awareness for the breast cancer programme. For five years, Grosvenor House Dubai has been supporting this deeply important cause and raising funds and hope for breast cancer patients. This year will be no different, as it remains our goal to bring the community together to honour breast cancer patients, celebrate life with the survivors and give back.”

In addition to the delightful luxury Afternoon Tea, every guest was entered into a big prize raffle draw to win stays at various Marriott properties and everyone walked away with goody bags provided by Benefit, B/Attitude Spa and Elemis which included specialty cosmetics and spa vouchers.

The celebratory event wraps up another successful season of hope as Brest Friends in partnership with Al Jalila Foundation turns its focus toward October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with another edition of #PINKtober. The month-long community campaign unites hundreds of Champions of Hope – education, corporate, retail and government partners – who host pink-themed events across the UAE to raise awareness, fund ground-breaking research and support breast cancer treatment.