Charitable society distributes toys in cancer ward at Al Ain’s Tawam Hospital

Dana Askari and cartoon character Abood hand out toys and gifts to young cancer patients at Tawam Hospital. — Supplied photo

The little ones in the Children’s Cancer Ward at Al Ain’s Tawam Hospital were overjoyed when a toy cart made a stop there on Christmas. A delegation from the Friends of Cancer Patients charitable society (FoCP) visited the ward with a toy cart, along with the mischievous children’s character ‘Abood’ from Emirati cartoon, Freej, who helped distribute the toys to the children.

The initiative, the brainchild of FoCP volunteer Dana Askari, who lost her child to cancer in 2010, has also been running at the Dubai Hospital on a weekly basis since 2012. The visit — the team’s second to Tawam Hospital — will now become a monthly feature at the ward.

FoCP Board of Trustees president, Ameera Binkaram, said: “It began with the aim to ignite hope in the hearts of the young cancer patients.

In a world where most people take the gift of life for granted, there are many, who at a tender age, are touched by cancer and embark on an arduous journey towards recovery.”

The initiative aims to bring hope to the “young buds” and assure them they are not alone in their fight.

“It is FoCP’s objective to raise awareness and consciousness within society and provide these patients and their families much needed monetary and material support. The toy cart initiative forms part of a larger childhood cancer programme planned for 2014.” Binkaram also made a special mention about the staff at the hospital for their commendable work. “This goes a long way in helping such children towards a speedier recovery.”

Tawam Hospital CEO Gregory Schaffer welcomed the gesture. “Initiatives such as the FoCP’s toy cart bring not only smiles to the faces of children, who are defying all odds while grappling with cancer, but also much hope that goes a long way in ensuring their wellness.”

Schaffer thanked the FoCP for making the initiative a regular fixture at the hospital.

“Such visits serve as encouragement to our staff at the hospital, who leave no stone unturned in standing shoulder to shoulder with the kids in their fight against the disease.”

amanda@khaleejtimes.com