Saving Duaa from Gaza to receive cancer treatment

Dear donors, old and new,

The situation in Gaza continues to be horrific, and like many other thousands of people, Duaa and her family are still displaced from their home, living in hunger, fear, bereavement.

The Rafah crossing was destroyed months ago, and nobody has been able to travel anymore. The purpose of the fundings - as soon as we'll be able to transfer them (not an easy endeavour itself) - will be re-directed to help Duaa and her family with daily expenses. A drop in the ocean of what is needed in Palestine at this historic moment. Thank you again for your support.

This fundraising campaign aims to help Duaa Amoum, who is battling cancer amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza, relocating her and her family (husband and three children) to receive medical treatment abroad, as soon as feasible again.

Since 2018, Duaa has been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy in Jerusalem hospital. Currently, she is suffering from difficult health conditions due to the war and multiple displacement in Gaza lacking any available treatment.

It is urgent for her to complete the treatment. We hope to raise funds to cover the travel expenses and cost of living in Egypt or anywhere possible. Duaa has shared her story in Arabic, with an English translation provided below. We also hope to reach out to women’s organisations to get support for this campaign:

'I am Duaa Amoom from Gaza, 33 years old, and I have three daughters (Lama, Leen, Maha). I was diagnosed with cancer when I was 27 years old. I always feel like time stopped for me there (before cancer). In August 2018, my painful and difficult journey with treatment began. I underwent two breast removal surgeries in one month. I never forgot the moment I looked at myself for the first time, my body disfigured because of this monster that attacked me. I felt pain, cried, and wished for death.

Every time I felt like giving up, I looked at my daughters, the youngest being 3 years old and the oldest 9 years old. I decided to confront my fate and started my second journey (chemotherapy). My body weakened, and I lost the hair I loved. The pain was indescribable, and I couldn't forget it. I turned into a skeletal frame unable to stand from the intensity of the pain. Many months of chemotherapy passed. The doses were always delayed due to their unavailability at the hospital.

When I finished chemotherapy, the journey of radiation began. Here I was shocked by a bitter reality. I had to fight to get approval to travel for treatment at hospitals in Jerusalem due to the lack of radiation devices in Gaza. After a long wait, I managed to get approval for treatment. There were mixed feelings (happiness and sadness). I felt happy because I obtained my basic right to treatment but sad because I had to leave my daughters behind as the occupation refused them travelling with me.

The travel date arrived, and I passed through many checkpoints. The hardest was when the Israeli soldier forced me to strip naked in front of her. I felt humiliated and ashamed, wishing I had stayed in Gaza. I reached Al-Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem, where the doctor decided on 25 radiation sessions. In each session, the pain intensified until my body was burning and the disfigurement worsened.

After a long time, the radiation sessions ended, and I had to return to Gaza to continue my treatment. I was happy because I would finally embrace my daughters after all this time. Little did I know that the suffering was not over yet, as war came, bombing my home, and forcing me and my daughters to flee to shelters. The hardest suffering began; no home, no food, no safety, facing death every moment. I couldn't even get treatment from the first day of the war. I had to start a new journey for survival, but this time with my daughters (Lama, Leen, Maha)'.

Below are details regarding the costs and how funds will be utilized. Each adult family member must pay $5000 for the services of Hala company in Egypt to facilitate their exit, while the cost for children under 16 is $2500 each.

This applies to Duaa, her husband and three daughters. The total cost is for two adults and three children.

Evacuation Costs to Egypt:

$5000 per two adults: $10,000

$2500 per child: three children equals $7,500

Around $4000 medical treatment

Around $3500 for residence and cost of living in Egypt

Total amount: $ 25000 in pound (£20,000)

Names and Ages of My Family Members:

Duaa Amoum (33 years old)

Ashraf Amoum (36 years old)

Lama Amoum (14 years old)

Leen Amoum (12 years old)

Maha Amoum (9 years old)

Arabic version of Duaa Amoum's story here:

أنا دعاء أموم من قطاع غزة وابلغ من العمر ٣٣ عامآ ولدي ٣ بنات (لمى ،لين ،مها )..أصبت بالسرطان حين كان عمري ٢٧ عامآ ،دائما ما اشعر اني توقف بي الزمن هناك (قبل السرطان) ، في شهر ٨ / ٢٠١٨ بدأت رحلتي المؤلمة والصعبة بالعلاج ، حيث خضعت لعمليتين استئصال للثدي في شهر واحد ..ولم أنسى ولو للحظة حين نظرت لنفسي اول مرة وجسمي مشوه بسبب هذا الوحش الذي هاجمني ، تألمت وبكيت وكم تمنيت الموت ، وكلما شعرت بالإستسلام انظر الي بناتي حين كان اصغرهن ٣ سنوات واكبرهن ٩ سنوات ، وقررت مواجهة مصيري وبدأت رحلتي الثانية ( الكيماوي ) ضعف جسمي وسقط شعري الذي احبه ، ألم لا أستطيع ان اشرحه ولا استطيع أن أنساه ، تحولت الي هيكل عظمي يعجز أن يقف على قدميه من شدة الوجع ، أشهر عديدة من العلاج الكيماوي ..دائما ماكانت تتأخر الجرعات لعدم توفرها بالمستشفى ، وعندما انتهيت من الكيماوي ..بدأت رحلة ( الاشعاع ) هنا صدمت بواقع مرير وكان علي أن احارب حتى أحصل على موافقة للسفر للعلاج بمستشفيات القدس لعدم وجود أجهزة إشعاع بقطاع غزة ، بعد انتظار طويل تمكنت من الحصول على الموافقة للعلاج ، كانت هناك مشاعر مختلطة ( السعادة والحزن ) شعرت بالسعادة لاني حصلت على أبسط حقوقي وهي العلاج ، وبالحزن لأني مضطرة ان اترك صغيراتي لأن الإحتلال يرفض سفرهن معي ، وجاء موعد السفر وتنقلت بين حواجز عديدة كان اصعبها ان تجبرني المجندة الاسرائيلية ان اتعرى بالكامل امامها شعرت بالإهانة وبالخجل وتمنيت لو اني بقيت بغزة ، وصلت مستشفى المطلع بالقدس وهناك قرر الدكتور ٢٥ جلسة اشعاع ، وفي كل جلسة يشتد الألم حتى وصلت الي مرحلة جسدي يحترق والتشوه يزداد ، وبعد مرور وقت طويل انتهت جلسات الاشعاع وعلى ان أعود لغزة لإستكمال علاجي ، كنت سعيدة لاني سأحتضن صغيراتي بعد كل هذا الوقت ، ولم أكن اعلم ان المعاناة لم تنتهي بعد حتى جاءت الحرب وقصف بيتي ونزحت انا وصغيراتي الي مدارس الإيواء وتبدأ المعاناة الأصعب لا يوجد بيت ولا طعام ولا أمان ونواجه الموت في كل لحظه ، حتى اني لم استطيع الحصول على العلاج منذ اليوم الأول من الحرب ،وعلي ان أبدا رحله جديدة للنجاة ولكن هذه المرة مع صغيراتي ( لمى ، لين ، مها )