UAE charity sponsors Umrah trip for cancer patients

A charity based in Sharjah, UAE has helped organise a four-day Umrah trip to the holy city of Makkah for four cancer patients, their caregivers and charity staff members.

According to Gulf News, the UAE-based Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP) partnered up with Sharjah Charity International to sponsor the annual initiative between 28 and 31 August.

Aisha Al Mulla, Director of FOCP was quoted as saying: “FOCP has been steadfast in its efforts to organise the Umrah pilgrimage for the patients we support.

“Our unwavering commitment is to offer them holistic support on their path to healing. We recognise the profound significance of religious rituals and worship in enhancing mental well-being of cancer sufferers, and therefore, want to do our best to ensure that they can practice their faith in the most fulfilling ways”.

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Going beyond providing medical assistance, Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP) in partnership with Sharjah Charity International, recently organised a four-day Umrah trip to Mecca for four cancer patients and their caregivers.https://t.co/ePB5w8MUS6 pic.twitter.com/pvnuShFEzZ

— Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) September 2, 2023

For his part, Ali Mohamed Al Rashidi, Head of the Resource and Investment Sector stated: “This collaborative initiative with the FOCP serves as a beacon of moral support for these individuals as they fight cancer. Many of them hold the aspiration of visiting the Holy Kaaba—a dream we are able to fulfill through collaborative work.

One 75-year-old cancer patient, Jamila Elias commenting on her experience said: “Though I visited the holy site before with my late husband, the desire to return grew after my 2020 cancer diagnosis. However, financial struggles faced by my son, who supported me during treatment, led me to keep this wish hidden. Today, as I head to Mecca, chosen by FOCP for Umrah without even stating my desire, my happiness knows no bounds.”

Another patient, Hanaa Abdel Karim, 58, said: “FOCP’s assistance has extended far beyond my cancer treatment expenses, even covering monthly supplies. Being chosen for Umrah came as a surprise – a dream I have always had. I used to pray for this during my illness, and I am thankful that FOCP has made it a reality.”

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