All posts by maria Bagnulo

Research Matters, Stories of Hope

Finding therapies to manage colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer and the second highest cause of cancer deaths in the UAE.

To tackle the issue, Al Jalila Foundation awarded a research grant to Dr Maha Saber-Ayad, a medical Pharmacologist from the College of Medicine at University of Sharjah, to understand the role of galanin in CRC patients and potentially discover therapies that can prevent the progression of the disease.

The colon has a unique network of neurons that secrete various proteins known as “neuropeptides”, one of which is “galanin”.  The study evaluated the role of galanin in different stages of 80 CRC patients’ samples, using different lab techniques, including immunohistochemistry and next-generation sequencing, to take snapshots of the disease in different stages at the molecular level to decipher the role of the protein in the development of CRC.

Through bioinformatics analysis, several pathways were identified and implicated in tumour progression: cell cycle, cell division, autophagy (self-eating), regulation of expression of tumour suppressor genes, and immune system process.  Twelve key genes were shared among those pathways and in turn the expression of those genes evaluated in several CRC cell lines to validate results. These results can lead to the discovery of potential therapies and give hope to patients with CRC.

Press Release

Donors praise Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital as pioneering initiative that supports cancer patients in need

Philanthropists who have donated to the new Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital being established by Al Jalila Foundation, a member of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, have praised the initiative to build the hospital as a pioneering contribution to the nation’s healthcare sector.

The UAE’s first charity hospital pays tribute to the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his lifetime of service to the nation and extraordinary global philanthropic achievements. The contributions of the donors have helped Al Jalila Foundation already raise a total of AED220 million for the construction of the hospital.

The donors include HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, HE Easa Saleh Al Gurg, Mohammed Ibrahim Obaidullah, Hamad bin Ahmad bin Sougat, the Family of the Late Abdulla Hassan Al Rostamani, the Family of the Late Abdel Wahid Hasan Al Rostamani, Abdul Rahim Mohammed Belghozooz Al Zarooni, Abdul Hamied Seddiqi, Faizal E. Kottikollon & Shabana Faizal, Dr. Rajen A. Kilachand, Raghuvinder Kataria and PNC Menon.

HE Easa Saleh Al Gurg, Founder, Easa Saleh Al Gurg Charity Foundation, said: “We deeply appreciate the initiative of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to establish a world-class hospital which will be a beacon of hope for cancer patients. Our long-term partnership with Al Jalila Foundation is underpinned by our collective vision to improve the lives of people and communities through medical innovation. Our contribution to build the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital is a symbol of our commitment to support free medical treatment for cancer patients who would otherwise be unable to afford it. This is also an expansion of the vision of Easa Saleh Al Gurg Charity Foundation that pays great attention to supporting the provision of medical treatment for low-income and poor families.”

Mohammed Ibrahim Obaidullah said: “The establishment of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital in Dubai is a pioneering move and significant contribution to the health sector in the UAE, which has been at the forefront of our wise leadership’s agenda. In the year of the Golden Jubilee, the UAE has become one of the best countries in the world in the field of healthcare. The new hospital will represent all that is good as it bears the name of the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and commemorates his memory, as much as it provides a platform for people to be part of a giving movement and helping others. In order for this hospital to become a beacon that radiates hope to those who cannot afford the cost of treatment, I encourage everyone to support its completion as an act of goodwill and humanitarian obligation.”

Hamad bin Ahmad bin Sougat said: “It is one of the biggest privileges to be able to help improve lives. The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, instilled in us a culture of giving and he inspired his people to care for those less fortunate. Philanthropy is at the heart of our nation’s fabric and we are immensely proud to support the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital and honour the legacy of the late Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The new hospital will provide a safe haven for those impacted by cancer and it will become beacon of hope for cancer patients and their families.”

Khalid Abdul Wahid Al Rostamani, Chairman of AW Rostamani Group said: “CSR is embedded in our organisation’s culture and we are committed to improving the quality of life of local and international communities. AW Rostamani Group’s partnership with Al Jalila Foundation spans across many years and we would like to convey our appreciation and gratitude to Al Jalila foundation for giving us the opportunity to be part of this initiative and the establishment of Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital which will improve so many lives. Our support for the new cancer hospital is our way of giving back to the nation, its people and its residents. If we can leave the world a better place we have honoured the legacies of the late Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid and our late father Abdul Wahid Al Rostamani both of whom dedicated their lives to making a difference in the lives of others and improving humanity.”

Marwan Abdullah Al Rostamani, Chairman of Al Rostamani Group said: “Al Rostamani Group is honoured to be part of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum initiative to establish the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital, a tribute to the person who will be remembered for his generosity and devotion to make a difference in the lives of those in need, both in the UAE and beyond. We believe that the act of giving and contribution is humanitarian in its essence – never fades or diminishes, a principle that the Al Rostamani Group has been committed to since its establishment.”

Abdul Rahim Mohammed Belghozooz Al Zarooni, Chairman, Al Zarooni Group of Companies said: “There is a great need for a comprehensive cancer care hospital in Dubai and it will make a positive impact on patients’ lives. Establishing the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital is a wonderful way to honour the legacy of the late Sheikh Hamdan who dedicated his life to improving people’s lives across the globe. It is a privilege for us to support the hospital because it is an inspiring humanitarian project that reminds us of our responsibility as human beings towards those that need it most. Our wise leadership has instilled in us the race to do good and live by the values of giving and human solidarity, instilled in them by the founding fathers of the UAE, and we are committed to doing our part to benefit mankind.”

Abdul Hamied Seddiqi, Chairman, Seddiqi Holding said: “The charitable contributions of the late Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum are monumental to our country and beyond. With philanthropy and compassion at the core of the Seddiqi family values and Seddiqi Holding, we are humbled to contribute towards the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital in honour of his work and memory. We look forward to working alongside Al Jalila Foundation on this endeavour, which continues to honour the values and beliefs of our late founder Ahmed Qassim Seddiqi and is pioneering development in this field.”

Faizal and Shabana Kottikollon, Chairperson & Vice-Chairperson, KEF Holdings said: “We are pleased to support Al Jalila Foundation to establish the UAE’s first charity hospital to help cancer patients in need. As entrepreneurs, our biggest commitment is to make a positive impact in people’s life. Education and scientific research leading to innovation is the only way to honour that commitment and leave a better, more sustainable world for the coming generations.  Scientific research is a fuel that accelerates human progress and at KEF we believe that through hard work backed by research and commitment leading to revolutionary ideas is the key to a brighter future. We see the same spirit in Al Jalila Foundation and that’s what makes this a perfect partnership.”

Dr Rajen A. Kilanchand, Chairman, Dodsal said: “I am proud to be associated with Al Jalila Foundation as a donor and I was extremely pleased to hear that the new Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital is being built to help cancer patients who cannot afford treatment. Everybody knows someone who has or had cancer and to be able to make a difference to the lives of those suffering with this disease in a specialist hospital is a fitting tribute to the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid. Al Jalila Foundation aims to be at the forefront of this new era in the fight against cancer by collaborating with renowned research centres and leading oncologists to find new ways to eradicate cancer.”

Raghuvinder Kataria, Chairman of Kataria Holdings said: “I believe the true wealth of a nation is determined by the health of its people. This is echoed through the vision of Al Jalila Foundation in its pursuit of transforming lives through medical education and research in the UAE and for all mankind. Our mission at the Kataria Foundation is to enable people to lead meaningful lives and realize their potential through providing good healthcare and education. We have been associated with various initiatives of Al Jalila Foundation and give our utmost support and blessings to the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital; may its purpose prosper for generations to come.”

PNC Menon, Founder and Chairman, Sobha Group said: “We are honoured to support Al Jalila Foundation in its mission to establish the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Charity Hospital and believe that their work towards advancing local medical research is crucial to the UAE’s progress as a medical hub. The UAE is home to the brightest minds and its healthcare sector is expanding rapidly to meet the evolving needs of a growing population. In this context, it gives me great satisfaction to see the treatment of serious diseases such as cancer get priority.”

Research Matters, Stories of Hope

Scientist aims to give freedom to epilepsy patients

According to the World Health Organization epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases affecting people of all ages globally. It is estimated that up to 70% of people living with epilepsy could live seizure-free if properly diagnosed and treated.

Al Jalila Foundation research grant recipient Dr Hasan Mir from the American University of Sharjah is dedicated to developing a cost effective, more convenient, and accurate diagnosis that will enable improved treatment.

Treatment of epilepsy is facilitated by determining the brain location where a seizure originates. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can be used to estimate this location but have the disadvantage of being specialised imaging modalities with limited availability and they are not suited to capturing transitory events, such as the seizure onset.

Dr Mir’s study investigates the use of electroencephalogram (EEG) source imaging as a cost-effective complement to an MRI in developing a high accuracy estimate of where the epileptic seizure location occurs on the brain.

The investigators have developed a real-time algorithm based on stochastic gradient descent to localise and track the space-time dynamics of brain sources. The efficacy of the proposed algorithm was verified for both simulated scenarios and clinical data. The team are currently working on further improvements to the algorithm along with a more comprehensive performance validation.

Stories of Hope, Uncategorized

Mariam’s life-long dream is to help others heal

From a young age Mariam Elsaban had felt a strong desire to become a doctor because she wanted to help people and save lives. Her passion and dedication were only heightened throughout her school years and she took every opportunity to improve her knowledge and grades to give her the best chance to enter medical school.

In our mission to nurture the doctors of tomorrow, Al Jalila Foundation recognised Mariam’s talent and granted her a highly sought-after scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) program at Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU).

“Receiving a scholarship from Al Jalila Foundation has been a life-altering experience and one I am immensely grateful for. It has paved the way for me to pursue my passion to help others through the art of healing.  Thanks to this opportunity I am in my fifth year of MBBS at MBRU and I find myself more eager than ever to use my skills as a physician to make a difference to patients’ lives.”

Mariam is well on her way to fulfilling her life-long dream of becoming a doctor and we look forward to seeing what she will achieve in the future.

Stories of Hope

Ali’s determination has no limits

8-year-old Ali was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a toddler however the condition has not stopped him from being a superhero for other children of determination and an Ambassador of Hope for Al Jalila Foundation.

Ali’s mother heard about Heroes of Hope and the work they do to empower children of determination through sport and encouraged Ali to give it a try. From his first training in October 2020 Ali was hooked. He had been doing various physiotherapy which he found boring but as soon as he got into the gym, he loved it. After meeting Hollie, his coach, he set himself a challenge to show what children like him were capable of.

Ali recently completed a fitness challenge [1km rowing, 40 squats, 30 slam balls, 20 chin-ups and 100m prowler push] in an incredible time of 33 minutes to raise funds for Heroes of Hope in partnership with Al Jalila Foundation.

He loves training, his favourite activities are weightlifting and playing soccer, and he now dreams of becoming an Olympic champion – as a very focused and determined boy, he will surely get there!  Ali’s parents and his brother Omar are his greatest supporters and could not be prouder of him: “Ali’s determination to achieve something big gives him a lot of confidence and makes him proud of himself especially among his school peers. We know he can realise his dream of being in the Paralympics … the fitness challenge is just the beginning.”

Stories of Hope

The gift of hearing transforms sisters forever

9-year-old Noor Afzaal was born into a silent world as she suffered from profound hearing loss, but thanks to receiving a cochlear implant at the age of 6, with the help of Al Jalila Foundation, her communication developed remarkably and today she can hear and talk like other children her age. It is such a joy for her parents to listen as Noor recites the Quran.

The Afzaal family were exploring improved hearing treatments for three of their daughters. They had learned of the cutting-edge cochlear implant which would be a dream come true but, due to financial capabilities, the high cost of the cochlear implant made this option out of reach for the family. Eager to provide their children with the best chance at living a happy, fulfilled life they contacted Al Jalila Foundation with the hope to give their daughters the cochlear implant.

In collaboration with Al Jalila Foundation, a decision was made to first perform a cochlear implantation on the youngest daughter, Noor, as the younger the patient the greater the impact and the sooner positive results would be seen.

Noor showed great progress, so much so, that after leaving kindergarten she enrolled into mainstream school entering Year 1 at the same age and with the same opportunities as other children her age.

Noor’s mother gratefully expressed: “When we got approval for the cochlear implant procedure for our daughters, it was the happiest day of my life! This implant is a priceless gift and has changed our daughters’ lives, and our family’s, forever.”

After seeing the success of Noor’s implant, Al Jalila Foundation also committed to provide the cochlear implant for Noor’s older sisters, Aisha and Rimsha, as both girls were relying on lip reading to communicate. Since the life-changing cochlear implant the girls are all thriving, and their world has been forever changed.

Watch the Afzaal family story of hope here.

Stories of Hope

Golf star donates winnings to empower children of determination

Golf is a key driver of charitable giving around the world with large philanthropic contributions, including those from professional tournaments, that make giving to charity a huge part of the sport. Many of the golf clubs in the UAE and globally recognised tournaments have dedicated proceeds to Al Jalila Foundation healthcare programs over the years.

This year, we are delighted to have gained recognition from one of the world’s greatest up and coming young professional golfers, Renato Paratore, who donated GBP 10,000 of his European Tour winnings to our Ta’alouf program to empower children of determination.

We recently welcomed Renato to Al Jalila Foundation to have his name engraved on Bassmat Rashid Bin Saeed donor recognition wall alongside fellow champions of hope. Renato is the first professional golfer to put his name on the first-of-its-kind ‘wall of fame’ leaving his mark on the future of medicine.

Famous sports personalities have been known to make significant charitable contributions and it is inspiring to see the next generation of golf superstars continue in this tradition. Leading by example is truly what it is all about and we wish Renato many more victories on the golf course and look forward to welcoming him to Al Jalila Foundation again.

Learn more about Bassmat Rashid Bin Saeed here.

Research Matters, Stories of Hope

Emirati autism expert paves the way for future advancements

According to the World Health Organization an estimated one in 160 children worldwide has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Based on these statistics, there is a need to better understand the unique genetic causes of Autism as well as the pattern of treatment sought by parents of children with the condition. Al Jalila Foundation invested in ‘A prospective study of UAE children with Autism Spectrum Disorder’ with leading expert Dr Ammar Albanna from Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital.

The pioneering study paved the way for future comprehensive studies that will assist in identifying the genetic underpinning of ASD which will have significant implications, including prevention, healthcare systems planning, and individualised treatment.

Dr Ammar commented “The grant was instrumental in shaping a comprehensive research-based ASD program at Al Jalila Children’s.  The deep phenotyping translates to high-quality assessments following rigorous protocols, which serves as immediate clinical gain. Scientific research is key to improving clinical services, as well as scientific discovery.”

In addition to bolstering the Emirati research community, this grant gained attention in scientific publications, peer-reviewed journals, conferences, and opened collaborations with institutions in the UAE and beyond.

Watch here as Dr Ammar Albanna and his colleagues at Al Jalila Children’s as they commemorate Autism Awareness Month and #StandUpForBlue.

Stories of Hope

Nour is driven by her passion to serve the nation

Al Jalila Foundation is committed to supporting deserving Emirati medical professionals, who pursue education with respected international institutions with the aim to transfer global best practices to the UAE.

Nour Alloghani had graduated from Royal College of Surgeons Ireland and Al Jalila Foundation awarded her a Fellowship in Histopathology Lab (Cancer) at Beaumont Hospital, Ireland.

Through the Fellowship Nour was able to carry out research in oncology with one of the best pathologists in Ireland. The research allowed her to use the theory she had learned in medical school in a practical environment while gaining invaluable skills.

For Nour studying medicine was a dream come true. “I always loved medicine and my passion grew when my father developed a heart condition and I promised myself to do my best as a doctor and give back to the UAE community. Studying abroad was an important experience and I feel privileged to receive the Fellowship and continue my journey though medical school. Living in Ireland changed my skills as a doctor, and I feel confident working with patients from different backgrounds and ethnicities.”

Since completing the Fellowship Nour was invited to publish her research on the Arab Youth Research platform and awarded IP certification from the ministry of economy in the UAE.

Stories of Hope

Hamza has a bright and independent future on the horizon

10-year-old Hamza was born with a congenital abnormality that affected his limbs. The condition also interfered with his motor skills and hampered his independence as he grew. Throughout Hamza’s life, the only treatment accessible to him to improve his condition was plastic ankle foot orthotics which he was rapidly outgrowing, and they were no longer providing him with sufficient support.

In 2020 Hamza’s doctor identified that he was a good candidate for bilateral lower limb ankle foot orthotics. Eager to give his son greater independence and freedom, Hamza’s father approached Al Jalila Foundation as the cost of the orthotics was beyond his budget. Their greatest wish to see their child become independent and move on his own was becoming a reality.

Hamza’s orthotic fitting was a great success and several months on from the procedure the neutral alignment to his ankles is providing him with controlled range of motion. The right guidance and strengthening from physiotherapy will ensure he does not develop further deformity or weakness affecting his mobility.

“I would like to thank Al Jalila foundation for helping my son become more mobile. Hamza is very happy, and for us as parents there is no greater blessing and relief than knowing that Hamza can live independently in the future.”