Al Jalila Foundation, a global philanthropic organisation dedicated to transforming lives through medical education and research, welcomes Emirati medical students to apply for postgraduate medical scholarships for the third year. AED 4 million has been allocated for the 2015/16 scholarships programme, which is open to all Emirati students who wish to pursue postgraduate studies in medical and health sciences in the United Arab Emirates.

Dr Abdulkareem Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, commented:

“We are pleased to once again extend financial support to aspiring Emirati healthcare professionals to help them specialise and further build the skills and credentials needed to contribute to the wellbeing of the nation. This year we look forward to receiving applications covering an even wider range of specialties that will help broaden the UAE’s medical capabilities, so that it can continue to offer its citizens world-class healthcare in line with UAE Vision 2021. Not only will our scholarships help to develop capabilities, they will build capacity, continuity and sustainability in the UAE’s healthcare sector.”

Since its inception Al Jalila Foundation has awarded 19 scholarships for postgraduate studies in nursing, dentistry and public health at institutions across the UAE. Two of the first scholarship recipients to be funded by Al Jalila Foundation will graduate from The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland – Dubai later this year.

The application deadline for Al Jalila Foundation postgraduate medical scholarships for the 2015/2016 academic year is 31 July 2015, and successful applicants will be announced in September 2015. For more information e-mail at scholarships@aljalilafoundation.ae.

Al Jalila Foundation, a global philanthropic organisation dedicated to transforming lives through medical education and research, today hostedthe highly-anticipated second edition ofDestination Medicine, astudent conference aimed at inspiringEmirati studentsto pursue careers in medicine.

Sponsored by Total, and in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, the event was held at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Centre, in Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), and attended by 330 Emirati students aged 11-13 from 21 schools across the UAE.Catering for the event was provided by Abela& Co.

The children participated in a number of workshops and medical experience activities across a range of specialties including first aid, sports medicine, nursing, and medical robotics, provided by experts includingSANID(the National Emergency Response Volunteer Programme in Abu Dhabi), Dubai Ambulance, Amana Healthcare, Tamkeen and the Ministry of Health.

The children also had the opportunity to interact first-hand with medical students from UAE University to learn more about the challenges and rewards of studying medicine, and heard about healthcare in the army from the UAE Army Medic Station.

Al Jalila Foundation awardedtwo Emirati students who have enrolled in medical studies since attending the inaugural Destination Medicine event in 2014: Nouf Alia Al Marzouqi is pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) at the University of Sharjah,and Amna Nasseris studying Biomedical Engineering atKhalifa University of Science, Technology and Research.

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:

“Destination Medicine enables children to experience first-hand the rewards of working in medicine. Our visionary leadership continues to pave the way for young Emiratis to study medicine at world-leading organisations and benefit from state-of-the-art infrastructure. We hope that today has provided the inspiration neededfor them to become doctors, save lives and give back to their community.”

Dr Abdulkareem Al Olama, Chief Executive Officer of Al Jalila Foundation stated:

“The wellbeing of UAE residents depends on the quality of the healthcare sector, in particular the calibre of people that work in it. Al Jalila Foundation aims to develop a generation of home-grown medical professionals and Destination Medicine is the perfect platform to bring together aspiring young minds to connect with leaders in healthcare. We have been impressed by the students’ enthusiasm – their appetite for knowledge is inspiring and will have a positive impact on the future of healthcare in the UAE.”

Al Jalila Foundation has started receiving applications for its post-graduate medical scholarships programme for the 2015/2016 academic year. The application deadline is 31 July 2015, and scholarships will be announced in September 2015. For more information visit www.aljalilafoundation.ae or e-mail scholarships@aljalilafoundation.ae.

Al Jalila Foundation, a global philanthropic organisation dedicated to transforming lives through medical education and research, has today signed an agreement with Brest Friends, the only breast cancer support group in Dubai. The agreement aims to tackle the issues of breast cancer in the UAE through raising awareness, fund research and support treatment of patients.

A study by Dr David Spiegel, Willson Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioural SciencesMedical Director at the Stanford University School of Medicine, reported that group therapy helped women with breast cancer as well as their surroundings to cope with battling the diseaseand prolonging theirlives. Through educating, providing comfort, teaching coping skills, and financial backing, support groups have proven to help reduce anxiety and depression in turn,enhancing the quality of life of the patients.

Together, Al Jalila Foundation and Brest Friends aim to raise funds for breast cancer treatment and research in the UAE and to further increase awareness on the disease. Al Jalila Foundation will allocate 70 percent of the funds raised towards treatmentthrough the A’awen (support in Arabic) programme, which provides financial aid to UAE-based patients suffering from various illnesses, including breast cancer. The remaining 30 percent will be invested in building medical research capacity in the UAEnecessary for tackling the disease; funds will be channelled through the UAE’s first independent multi-disciplinary medical research centre, Al Jalila Foundation Research Centre. Expected to open in 2016, the Centre will conduct biomedical research, with a focus on prevention and education on the health issuesprevalent in the UAE, including breast cancer.

Dr Abdulkareem Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, commented:

“In line with Brest Friend’s like-minded vision, we are fully committed to transforming lives through medical education, treatment and research. Studies have shown that women living in the UAE are significantly more susceptible to breast cancer than in the west and at a younger age; having said that, very little research on this issue is done locally – instead, we are obliged to rely on resourcing from abroad, a considerably more costly option. With Al Jalila Foundation’s mission to encourage home-grown talent and research in the UAE, this partnership will serve as a catalyst to our mission of saving lives.”

Through seminars and workshops, Al Jalila Foundation and Brest friends will provide a platform for raising awareness on breast cancer and women’s need for support and friendship during treatment. Patients and families will participate in education workshops on provision of emotional guidance, early detection of the

disease through teaching self-examination techniques, and how to cope with the treatment process.

Dr Houriya Kazim, President and Founder of Brest Friends, commented:

“Dealing with cancer is one of the hardest challenges that patients and their families could face; it is a human need to be nurtured, especially when faced with significant life challenges. Brest Friends aims to be that nurturing support to minimise the psychological side effects of coping with the disease. Whether the stress roots from the lack of awareness on the disease, emotional strain of the treatment or financial struggle, working with Al Jalila Foundation will help us support these patients in having a brighter outlook on their futures and ultimately saving lives.”

Brest Friends was established 10 years ago by Emirati Dr Houriya Kazim, the UAE’s first female surgeon and most recognized authority on breast cancer in the country. The breast cancer support group was initially aimed at raising money for education and awareness and has today grown to also provide financial support to patients in need.

According to the World Health Organisation 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. In the UAE, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, with the number of cases having increased by around 20 percent since 2009. The chances of survival are between 95-100 percent if detected early, however this reduces to 86 percent if detected at stage 2, and becomes 57 percent only at stage 3.

Al Jalila Foundation today announced that Ta’alouf (harmony in Arabic), its flagship programme designed to support carers of children with special needs, aims to expand its programme across the Emirates, addressing the needs of the country. Today’s graduation for parents marks a milestone for Ta’alouf reaching a total of almost 200 participants, setting the programmewell on itsway to reaching agoal of training 800 carersover the coming five years.

Today, 70 parents graduated from thelatesttwo cohorts of the parents training. Aceremonywas held for the families at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Academic Medical Centre which wasinaugurated by Her Excellency Dr Raja Easa Al Gurg, Member of the Board of Trustees and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Al Jalila Foundation. Dr Abdulkareem Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation and Professor Abdullah Alshamsi, Vice Chancellor of The British University in Dubai (BUiD)and Professor Eman Gaad, Dean of Faculty of Education and the Head of the Doctoral Programme at BUiD also joined the proceedings.

Her Excellency Dr Raja Al Gurg commented on the programme:

“All of us here at Al Jalila Foundation are committed to setting up the most effective educational and training programme for children with special needs. I am humbled to see just how many parents and children are benefiting from the programme and just how diverse the programme has become. The numbers of parents who we have been able to reach out to has quadrupled since the programme started in 2013. One major difference we have witnessed is more and more fathers are joining the programme andfamilies are also realising the benefits of attending the workshops together, reaffirming the programme’s mantra of inclusiveness. We are particularly proud to have had the opportunity to empower these families by providing them with the life-changing skills to use at home, and look forward to playing an active role in shaping their children’s future.”

This third and fourth cohort of the Ta’alouf parents training programme that graduated today was aimed atsupporting children with Autism and Down Syndrome. According to the UAE Down Syndrome Association, as of December 2014, one out of 319 babies in the UAE has Down Syndrome. Statistics from the UAE Ministry of Social Affairs, as of July 2014, indicate that more than 800 children with autism are enrolled at special centres in the UAE. The training included 52 mothers and 13 fathers joining from across all seven Emirates of the UAE. The next course, starting in Marchwill be delivered outside of Dubai to make it more accessible to the wider community.
Dr Abdulkareem added:

“Looking to the future, we are committed to rolling out Ta’alouf throughout all the Emirates to bring a full rounded support system to all children in the UAE. To echo UAE Vision 2021 oneducation, we too believe in equal opportunities for all students; the harmony of both components of the Ta’alouf programme with parents and teachers will result in the development of a strong, supportive network geared towards helping these children excel in the wider society.”

In partnership with The British University in Dubai (BUiD) Al Jalila Foundation’s Ta’alouf parents training programme spans 6 weeks. It is led by Professor Eman Gaad, Dean of Faculty of Education and the Head of the Doctoral Programme at BUiD. The training provided through this collaboration enables parents to complement the efforts of educators and caregivers for a continuum of care between the child’s home and school.

Professor Eman Gaad said:

“What is unique about this group is that it was divided into training session according to the disability in order to maximise the benefits of the training. This was shown in the post training questionnaire filled by the parents where they have expressed their satisfaction of the programme. For the second year in a row, the partnership between The British University in Dubai and Al Jalila Foundation achieves a unique social benefit which helps in the empowering and inclusion of people with disabilities.”