Support Anas' Journey to Medical Care

WE HAVE REACHED OUR GOAL!!! The fundraiser is now closed. THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!

Meet our wonderful friend Anas. He’s a talented and dedicated wheelchair athlete who trained hard to realise his lifelong dream of playing for the Palestine national basketball team.

Anas was born with paralytic polio, a severe form of poliovirus, which damages the nerves in the spinal cord leading to muscle paralysis and chronic pain. This means that Anas is in constant pain without his treatment, which he has not had access to since October.

He’s now at a point where he requires urgent surgery to reduce the immense swelling in his feet and has also developed painful ulcers, and a host of other health issues, because he does not have access to facilities that support his disability. Anas is currently displaced in deplorable conditions in Khan Yunis after fleeing from Rafah.

He does not have a car and travels long distances by wheelchair and must navigate unstable and dangerous surfaces. He’s relying solely on the generosity of people like you to help him get out of Gaza and into urgent medical care.

Anas is part of a loving and supportive family of 6, including himself:

• Anas, 24

• His beautiful mother, 41

• younger brothers, Muhammad, 23 and Ahmed, 13

• His sister, Rama, 10

• and Hadi, 9

This was Anas at the height of his sporting career. He was living his dream of travelling with his teammates and competing in international basketball championships.

Now his world looks like this:

Every day comes with dreaded uncertainty as to whether he and his family will survive. Anas and his family do not have access to clean water and food is scarce. There is no toilet and the internet connection to the outside world is unreliable. His tent does not provide adequate shelter to protect or relieve him from the extreme heat or cold. Getting any rest is impossible with the constant sound of heavy bombing and artillery fire.

This is a heartfelt message from Anas to you:

“Hello, I am Anas. I live in Gaza and I have a disability. I played wheelchair basketball, which is my sporting dream. I lost my sporting career, my home, my father, and many of my friends and relatives. I want to tell you about my life and how it changed in the midst of devastation.

Before October 7, I had a beautiful life, and I had my home and friends, and I was participating in tournaments outside the country on behalf of the Palestine national team.

But the war cut off my train of thought, cut off my home, and cut off my dream, and my family and I took refuge in a tent that was not suitable for human living. I felt terrified...

How am I going to live here while I am in a wheelchair? How am I suffering from swelling in my feet due to medical negligence in Gaza? How am I now suffering from swelling in my feet and very painful pain? How am I sitting in a wheelchair all the time, which has caused me ulcers and other things? Am I immune to malnutrition in this tent? How will I provide for my family since I am the eldest after my father’s death? How will I provide for them with all their responsibilities and their lives without fear under the threat of rockets and missiles?

But there is no other shelter to go to, there is no place to go in the rain or in the heat, so I hope to give myself and my family a second chance at life outside the Gaza Strip, and I hope that you will help me in giving us this last chance, which is like a second life. I want you to stand by my side”

Your donations will be allocated to facilitate the safe passage of Anas and his family across the border into Egypt. The high costs of obtaining permits can range anywhere from US$5,000 to US$7,000 per person.

The donations will also help cover expenses for his medical treatments. He will require several operations on his feet to reduce swelling. These funds will also provide him with safer and more reliable means of transportation and accommodation, ensuring a smoother transition for his family. It will also count towards initial living expenses. Reaching the campaign goal will provide him and his family with the financial stability needed to settle into their new environment and focus on rebuilding their lives. This includes school fees, supplies, and any educational support for his younger sisters, for whom he is responsible for after his father's death.

Your contribution, no matter how small, will be a beacon of hope for Anas and his family. It represents a step towards a brighter future, free of the constant threats that plague them in Gaza. He is so grateful for your concern and support during this difficult time. Your generosity will have a profound impact on their lives, and he truly appreciates your willingness to stand in solidarity with him and his family.

Funds will be transferred to my US bank account the sent by Western Union to Anas.

About the organizer:

Hello friends, my name is Angie Walker, and I'm from Chicago, USA. I will be continuing the fundraising efforts for Anas going forward due to his friend no longer being able to continue his GFM for personal family reasons. The funds raised for Anas already are being transferred to him.

I've spent most of my life doing some kind of service to give back to those who are marginalized and disproportionately lacking in basic human needs to survive.

I spent years going back and forth to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and helped an orphanage that was effected. I've done a lot of work helping un-housed people , and multiple community events in Toronto and in the West & South side of Chicago.

Those who know me know I've had my hands in grassroots initiatives for many years. I've served on boards of non-profits but have always been more drawn to having my boots on the ground helping people . I also have my certification in Non-Profit Management from UIC in Chicago and have worked for many non-profits over the years helping with fundraising efforts.

I have become good friends with Anas through my humanitarian work, and we speak every day. I have grown very fond of him, and he has become like family to me.