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Hello, this is Hossam Alroomi. I’m from Palestine, Gaza. I’m 19 years old and currently in Rochester, newyork.
After the passing of my father in 2020, my mother and I have been left responsible for my three sisters and one autistic brother. As it’s obvious, a person with autism requires a lot of medical attention as well as someone to look over them at all times. In Gaza, there aren’t many opportunities for my brother to develop and get proper treatments; however, my mother tried her best to help him in every way possible. My sister Diana, who’s 22 right now, was diagnosed at only 12 years of age with type 1 diabetes. Fortunately, insulin pens were available for the time during our stay in Gaza until the recent tragedy struck when getting medicine for my sister and my brother was demanding and required significant risks for my mother, who can barely stand on her own. My family had to move into tents made out of literal plastic as they were not safe in our own home. God knows if the house is standing or not. As the war progresses and gets more violent and food and water are hard to find, my family is dying in front of my eyes while I can not do a single thing.
Leaving our home is the only safety solution. It’s sad and messed up. Unfortunately, it’s the only way for innocent civilians to be safe. However, leaving isn’t easy either. The only gateway for Palestinians to escape is through Egypt, which costs crazy amounts of money to cross the border. Nearly 6000-9000 dollars is the cost for each person, which still goes up as we speak.
Over and over again, my mother walks through bomb zones and targeted areas to be able to get the insulin pens required for my oldest sister - Diana. However, the last time my mother went, she was told there were no more pens to give her. This put everyone in a devastating state, as without insulin pens, my sister’s life is in danger. Being in America, I can’t do much to help, which gets to me, as I can’t just stand and watch my family die just like that.
The purpose of this fundraiser is to help my family get out of that warzone, help my brother get the treatment he deserves, help Diana live a life and not have hers stolen from her, help my younger sister reach her goals and dreams, help my mother rest without having to worry about losing one of her children day in and day out.
A background about me:-
I was initially born in the UAE, a country in the Middle East, but soon enough, I had to move back to my home country, Palestine, in 2018 for extraocular reasons. Before moving back, I wouldn’t count myself as a strong person, mentally and physically. I wasn’t at my best then, as everything was given to me. Dad used to work well, and Mom cared for us well. All I had to do was study for school, and that’s it. Before the end of 2019, when COVID was still fresh, my dad, who suffered from diabetes, high blood pressure, and Hepatitis C, had to undergo surgery for his back to help him walk properly again. Now, due to the increased restrictions on the Gaza Strip, our hospitals weren’t fully equipped with the proper equipment to be able to help with his case. Hence, he had to take his surgery elsewhere, in Egypt.
Fast forward a couple of months—April, to be precise, the 24th. I woke up that morning to find out that my grandma had passed away, and oh boy, how much I loved her is unexplainable. Just as I thought it wouldn’t get any worse, I received a phone call from my cousin, telling me my dad had passed away due to a heart attack. Moving on now, I was left as the older brother, with the responsibility of my mother, who is also sick, my three sisters, and one younger brother. Keep in mind that I was 14 at the time. I was forced to try to provide for my family by working. My mother didn’t like the idea and was entirely against it, as she wanted me to focus on school. I suggested doing both, as I promised her to do great at school while working since she agreed. I worked right after I was done with school every day and worked early in the mornings on the weekends. For clarification, we have six days of school back home and only Friday off. I managed with struggles, doing great at both studying and working.
After intensive work and effort, I scraped a couple of scholarships to fund my college studies in the US, but they were not fully covered; hence, I had to work to fill up the gap and try to provide for my family, who are still stuck in Gaza. Right now, I’m in Rochester, NY. I am currently studying Biomedical Sciences as a pre-med major. Focusing on school and work at the same time is manageable, but having my family stuck in a warzone while I’m powerless is a weight I can barely handle. While I’m here trying my best to build a future for myself and my family, my mother, two sisters, and one autistic brother are having their future taken away from them.
How the money will reach them:-
The money will be deposited into an account untouched and made for the sole purpose of getting my family out of Gaza through Egypt. I’ll be using the account information to pay for the travel expenses and arrange everything myself remotely, my family from the inside will have to work and make some time and day arrangements but when it comes to the costs they’ll be using the account information to pay for whatever is needed.
If you wish to contact me for further information, please don’t hesitate; I’ll be sure to respond.
Thank you so much for your attention and consideration.
Organizer
Hossam Al-Roomi
Organizer
Rochester, NY