All posts by Carla Duarte

Stories of Hope

Emirati student on the path to genomic expertise

In August 2020 Abdulrahman Alzarooni received the exclusive international postgraduate scholarship from Al Jalila Foundation to study for a Master of Medical Genetics and Genomics (MSc Med Sci) at the University of Glasgow, UK.

Through the scholarship, coupled with Abdulrahman’s hard work and passion in the field of genetics, he has now graduated from the Master’s program with high merit and recognition.

Abdulrahman had always been interested in tackling genetic diseases, which affects families, individuals and children and this scholarship was the first key step into pursuing this mission. His studies allowed him to learn a great deal more about the molecular basis of human diseases inherited by mutations and chromosome aberrations, as well as understanding the theory of genetics diagnostic techniques, and their clinical applications.

Abdulrahman believes that one’s learning cycle should never end and he plans to pursue a PhD in cancer genomics. Cancer genomics utilises the technology of reading the whole genome of cancer patients to assess and personalise treatment options, study inherited cancer syndromes and have better evaluation of prognosis.

Abdulrahman’s ambitions for the future are inspiring, “Ultimately, my goal is to be an expert in cancer genomics and be a part of developing new strategies to treat and help cancer patients in the UAE.”

Stories of Hope

Dikden is given a second chance

In January 2021 Dikden had been suffering from severe back pain and was losing weight rapidly. After several medical assessments it was confirmed that Dikden had metastatic lung cancer. The news was devastating and as the sole breadwinner for his family who works for a small company in Dubai, he had no idea how he was going to be able to handle this crisis.

Dikden began treatment immediately and his insurance provider was able to deliver the first seven cycles of his chemotherapy. He needed to continue his medical plan with immunotherapy to target the cancer, but the cutting-edge drugs he needed were not available under his insurance plan.

Having learned about the A’awen program that supports patient treatment from one of our charity partners, he applied to get the support he needed to regain his health. Dikden was able to receive the much-needed medicine and is now on his way to recovery.

He is most grateful for the support he received, “I cannot put a value on how important this is to me and my family. I would like to thank you Al Jalila Foundation for the help and the support they offered me to bring me back to health.”

Research Matters, Stories of Hope

Smoking increases the spread of cancer

Smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer and tobacco smokers are at 20 to 40 times higher risk of developing lung cancer in comparison to non-smokers.

With a research grant from Al Jalila Foundation, Dr Rania Zaarour from Gulf Medical University Ajman, is studying the effects of smoking on remodeling the tumor microenvironment and shaping stemness and immunogenicity in lung cancer.

Tobacco can be smoked using different ways, including waterpipes.  The team performed waterpipe smoke (WPS) analysis that revealed significant concentrations of toxicants including 27 known or suspected carcinogens thought to cause dependence, heart disease, lung disease and cancer.

This shows that exposing lung cancer cell lines to WPS condensate (WPSC) interferes with cell proliferation, cell plasticity, DNA damage and tumor cell recognition and killing by natural killer cells.

The results indicate that WPSC is a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. If a cancer patient continues to smoke, WPSC may serve as fuel to the cancer cells and may contribute to metastases. In fact, continued smoking is considered a strong adverse predictor of survival and increases the risk of a second lung cancer compared to those patients who stopped smoking. Therapy modalities can be more effective by eliminating smoke exposure to cancer patients and by targeting the inflammatory mechanisms to control the emergence of aggressive cancer clones with epithelial mesenchymal transition and stemness features.

Stories of Hope

The Ta’alouf Teachers program continues to flourish

The Ta’alouf Teachers Training Program was launched by Al Jalila Foundation in 2014 to equip teachers and principals with the necessary knowledge and skills to better understand and empower students of determination.

The program, now in its 8th cohort, runs each academic year fully sponsored by Al Jalila Foundation and delivered by education partner Zayed University, one of the leading universities in the region.

Ta’alouf has just welcomed Dr Efthymia Efthymiou as the program lead facilitator and as the Assistant Professor in Special Education at Zayed University Dr Efthymia is well placed to pass on her knowledge to the enthusiastic members of the cohort.

Dr Efthymia has been instructing teachers for several years in different academic environments, and believes that the program’s comprehensive structure, specialised training and supportive mentorship sessions enable the participants to gain invaluable knowledge allowing them to adopt student-oriented teaching practices for students with diverse abilities.

The 8th cohort includes 83 teachers from public and private schools across the UAE who will be prepared to adopt best practices for teaching in inclusive education environments with mindfulness.

Dr Efthymia looks to the future, “It is a rewarding experience joining the Ta’alouf team and building strong bonds with teachers to strengthen their impact in and out of the classroom. The team culture inspires teachers to make a meaningful difference in their schools for all students of determination.”

Press Release

Al Jalila Foundation’s diabetes treatment programme to receive a AED5 million donation from Landmark Group

Al Jalila Foundation, a philanthropic not-for-profit organisation dedicated to transforming lives through medical innovation, announced that Landmark Group, the region’s leading retail and hospitality conglomerate, will support the Foundation’s A’awen diabetes treatment programme with a total contribution of AED5 million over the next five years. The pledged amount is being raised by Landmark Group as part of  its flagship social initiative ‘Beat Diabetes’.

Launched in 2013, the Al Jalila Foundation’s A’awen (‘support’ in Arabic) treatment programme seeks to provide financial assistance to UAE citizens and residents who suffer from life-threatening illnesses and cannot afford access to quality healthcare. The Programme supports patients by alleviating a significant portion of the financial burden on them.

As part of its ‘Beat Diabetes’ initiative, Landmark Group raises funds across its extensive network of brand outlets in the UAE for Al Jalila Foundation’s diabetes research and treatment programmes. Going one step further for the cause, the Group matches the donations raised in stores dirham-for-dirham, to double the amount collected, and will continue to do so in the future.

Funds raised by Landmark Group will support diabetic patients who are eligible for financial support following a review by Al Jalila Foundation’s A’awen committee that comprises subject matter experts and physicians. Al Jalila Foundation addresses patients’ needs by working with its healthcare partners on treatment plans and will provide a report on the progress of the fundraising initiative and its positive impact.

Renuka Jagtiani, Chairwoman and CEO of the Landmark Group, said: “We have been committed to the fight against diabetes for more than a decade in the UAE, with a long-standing vision to create awareness related to this crippling, but preventable disease. Diabetes is a major cause of some of the world’s most debilitating health conditions and many patients facing financial hardships are unable to get the treatment they need. Our five-year pledge to the Al Jalila Foundation’s A’awen treatment programme is a vital step towards ensuring easier access to life-saving medical for those who need it.”

Dr Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “Through our partnership with Landmark Group, we have been able to make meaningful progress in diabetes research to improve patient treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, and 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year. This calls for urgent action and collaboration. Investing in research will help us uncover relevant and innovative solutions to one of today’s most pressing healthcare challenges and we thank Landmark Group for its unwavering support and contribution to diabetes research, prevention and treatment.”

Beat Diabetes initiative

Since 2014, Landmark Group’s ‘Beat Diabetes’ initiative has raised and pledged more than AED13 million towards diabetes research and treatment. In 2021, Landmark Group hosted the 12th edition of its Beat Diabetes Walk, a dedicated day-long event that brought together more than 10,000 participants to educate the public about the condition.

In recognition of its dedication to tackling diabetes, the conglomerate is the first and only corporation from the GCC region included on the members list of the Global Diabetes Compact Forum. Founded by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Forum aims to create a world where the risk of diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2) is reduced, and where people who are diagnosed with the condition have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care.

 

Stories of Hope

Lise is living cancer-free with a heart full of hope

In January 2020 Lise, a UAE resident of 28 years, was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine annual mammogram.

Having always lived a healthy lifestyle the news came as a shock and Lise felt that the ground had been pulled from under her.

She immediately started chemotherapy but to make matters worse, halfway through her treatments her insurance coverage had run out and she still needed the life-saving therapy and surgery.

Determined to fight the cancer and remain a good mother to her children she turned to Al Jalila Foundation for support and found the help she needed.

Lise is forever grateful for the support she received, “I was a bit nervous about being approved for charity assistance but the team at Al Jalila Foundation were very reassuring and embraced me. It is very comforting to know that there is a whole community of people behind me, supporting me financially and psychologically. I am proud to be living in the UAE and I am grateful that when in need I have been supported by my community.”

Although the surgery and the chemotherapy were very tough on Lise, by July she had the wonderful news that she was clear of the cancer. Today Lise’s advice to other women is “Get your annual mammogram, it can save your life. There is support out there. Just don’t give up.”

Research Matters, Stories of Hope

Exploring treatment options for COVID-19

With the world now reaching over 300 million confirmed cases since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic the urgency to find a cure is ever present.

Al Jalila Foundation is dedicated to supporting the global fight against COVID-19 and has invested in several vital research studies. While vaccines tackled some challenges, with continuously-evolving variants it is necessary to develop new antiviral agents that can work in parallel with vaccines to put an end to the global crisis.

Professor Mohammad Ghattas, from Al Ain University is researching new drug candidates as potential treatments for COVID-19 via targeting the main protease enzyme (Mpro) of the virus. Inhibiting such an enzyme by a small drug molecule was proven efficient in stopping the high virulent capability of the virus, introducing Mpro as the most promising drug target in the COVID-19 therapy.

The research group has utilised advanced computational approaches to screen a huge ligand library of more than 3.8 million ligands. This was followed by experimentally testing 57 compounds for their inhibition activity against the viral enzyme; two of which have been able to show promising inhibition activity and drug-like character.

The findings in this project can provide a strong basis for developing clinically useful drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 and potentially provide an extra tool to end the current long-lasting pandemic.

Stories of Hope

Community rallies together to help Marwan

9-year-old Marwan, from Sudan and living in Dubai, had been suffering from high pulmonary pressure and fibrosis in the lungs and needed urgent surgery. Unfortunately, his parents were struggling to fund the life- saving treatment.

The team at I Love Supersport Dubai, a UAE-based endurance training sports school, heard about young Marwan’s difficulties and organised a fundraiser ‘Challenge 50/50/50’ to support him. The aim of the challenge was to celebrate the UAE’s values of giving on the 50th National Day by raising AED 50,000 to fund Marwan’s surgery.

Endorsed by the Dubai Sports Council and coinciding with the UAE’s Golden Jubilee, 50 sports enthusiasts swam, biked, and ran for 50 consecutive hours, covering a total distance of 2,511km which is equal to the distance from Dubai to Khartoum, Marwan’s hometown.

Thanks to the I Love Supersport Dubai heroes’ incredible efforts and successful challenge, Marwan was able to undergo surgery right away and is now well on the road to recovery.

Marwan’s parents are overwhelmed but the incredible support they have received by the athletic community in Dubai: “We cannot thank Al Jalila Foundation enough for the support and all the kind strangers that became family. We are overwhelmed with emotion to find out how the community rallied together to help our son”.
Research Matters, Stories of Hope

Emirati researcher leads the fight on obesity

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified obesity as one of the top five mortality risks globally and is targeted for priority action as it is responsible for 5% of deaths associated with non-communicable diseases.

In high-income countries more than 50% of adults are overweight and over 20% are obese. The UAE has undergone rapid urbanisation and economic growth in the last 50 years, and it is well recognised that transitioning nations experience increased incidence of obesity associated with urban sprawl, sedentary lifestyles, change in diet and other risk factors.

Due to the rising obesity rates in the UAE, Al Jalila Foundation supported a research study lead by Professor Yousef AlBastaki at Dubai Health Authority to determine the UAE population reference standard charts for weight, height, body mass index, skinfold thickness, and eating habits at ages 0–18 years.

For reliable estimates of obesity in children, valid measures should be used as using body weight alone does not allow for differences in height and stature.

The aim of this study was to determine a range of anthropometric measurements including skinfold thickness measurements in four different areas of the body, to construct population growth charts for body mass index (BMI), skinfolds in UAE national children.

This study enabled the comparison of UAE growth charts with the growth charts from other countries and provided a better picture of the prevalence of obesity healthcare providers can deliver to the policy makers on the trends of BMI and obesity among children in the UAE.

Press Release

Yaseen Jaffer donates AED10 million to Al Jalila Foundation for the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital

Al Jalila Foundation, a member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, announced that Yaseen M. Jaffer, CEO of Proclad Group, has donated AED10 million to support the UAE’s first charity hospital ‘Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital’, which seeks to help cancer patients in need.

The 250-bed hospital, named after the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will provide best-in-class outpatient, ambulatory and diagnostic services as well as inpatient and surgical services in a nurturing environment that prides itself on personalised patient care. Phase 1 of the hospital is expected to open in 2024 with 150 beds and the capacity to treat 30,000 patients a year.  The UAE’s first cancer charity hospital aims to redefine cancer care for those in need and become a beacon of hope for cancer patients and their families. Yaseen Jaffer’s wife is a cancer survivor and his donation honours her brave journey and is dedicated to anyone who has ever been touched by cancer.

Dr Abdulkareem Sultan Al Olama, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, said: “The health and wellbeing of the UAE’s citizens and residents is one of Al Jalila Foundation’s top priorities. The Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital is set to become a leader in cancer care serving patients in need. Donor support is an integral part of our success in developing the state-of-the-art hospital and we are grateful to Yaseen Jaffer and his family for their generous donation. The hospital will offer unparalleled cancer expertise and make an invaluable contribution to the country’s healthcare sector putting patient care first.”

Yaseen Jaffer said: “My wife’s fight against cancer inspires me to express my appreciation and immense gratitude for the care and treatment that she received. I am proud to support Al Jalila Foundation in its mission to provide cancer patients with quality treatment in the UAE. This charity hospital will be a symbol of hope for patients who will be able to receive treatment at home while receiving the support of their families.”

“With cancer survival rates improving, there is a great need to support local cancer programmes and initiatives and help strengthen the support network available to cancer patients and their families. I hope to inspire others to support the Foundation’s noble cause and contribute towards the building of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital in Dubai,” he concluded.

Yaseen visited the newly opened cancer drop-in centre, Majlis Al Amal, to see how it’s impacting women’s lives. Majlis Al Amal, which in Arabic means Hope Lounge, is the first community centre of its kind dedicated to female cancer patients and their wellbeing. Al Jalila Foundation established Majlis Al Amal to support patients, survivors and their loved ones as they navigate the disease and its challenges. The Centre provides a support network in a nurturing environment and aims to keep the message of hope alive. All services offered at the centre are free of charge.

Since the announcement of the hospital earlier this year, Al Jalila Foundation has already raised AED350 million, towards the AED750 million fundraising target, with major donations received from a number of philanthropists, government and non-government organisations, UAE businesses and corporates to support the hospital’s development.