Support our Educational Journey Outside Gaza

I am Mohammed, a medical student from Gaza residing in Germany. I would like to convey this message from my sister Nour:

My name is Nour, which means “light” in Arabic, and I have always been determined to shine brightly to support those around me, even in the darkest of times. I have studied Neuroscience at Washington and Lee University, and have then been studying medicine in Gaza. I have finished three years of my medical education, marking the halfway point in my schooling. I then achieved a score of 93/100 in the International Foundations of Medicine (IFOM) Examination conducted by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). I have also consistently excelled academically, achieving honors and recognition throughout my educational pursuits. Becoming a doctor has been an enduring passion of mine, a lifelong dream that I have diligently strived to achieve.

However, my medical education got interrupted as my medical school was bombed, and I haven’t been able to continue my studies since this past October. This is why I need your support to complete my medical degree abroad and bring back knowledge to support those around me.

For my current life in Gaza, it is marked by uncertainty, with plans of evacuation looming over our heads. My home, currently sheltering 10 displaced families, might soon be evacuated due to the threat of a ground invasion to Rafah. Yet, I remain committed to serving my community, no matter where circumstances take me, and to carrying my dream of pursuing my medical degree in my heart wherever I go.

I have been actively volunteering at Abu Youssef Al Najjar Hospital in Rafah. Primarily at the ER, I care for over a hundred patients per shift, holding an emergency schedule with 24-hour shifts, and extending them when necessary. I witnessed, on multiple occasions, the arrival of the dead bodies of my cousins at the ER. In addition, due to the scarcity of resources, we always need to improvise on the spot. I remember when we had to do a paracentesis on a cancer patient with myelofibrosis, lacking the tools we needed. I had to improvise, utilizing an IV set and the last two urine bags with semi-broken tubes, holding them still with my hands while sitting on the floor by the patient as you may see in this picture. This patient however died 2 days ago due to lack of Jakafi, and all other cancer treatments for four months now.

These challenges for cancer patients in Gaza are the reason I wanted to join medical school in the first place. I want to become an oncologist with the ultimate goal of establishing an interdisciplinary, holistic care that could provide cancer patients in Gaza with the independent and comprehensive healthcare they deserve.

I have big dreams in my heart, and your support can bring me closer towards the actualization of my end goal. I aspire to bridge gaps in healthcare access, play a role in building a more equitable healthcare landscape, and serve as an agent of change for health equity and social justice in Gaza. I aspire to continue using medicine to save lives and to honor the memory of my friends and classmates whose dreams were killed, and could not live to achieve their medical degrees; for Besan, Doha and Nada.

My brother Ahmed excelled in high school, achieving an outstanding overall GPA of 99.6%—earning him the second-highest GPA in the entire Palestinian Territories. He's a dedicated student who had joined me in medical school, but that has been turned into rubble. His aspiration is to stand alongside me in our mission to save lives in Gaza.

Meanwhile, my sister Menna completed her first year of a programming BA at Al-Azhar University before it too fell victim to destruction. Despite the challenges, both Ahmed and Menna remain resolute in their ambitions to complete their education and return to serve our communities.

Both my siblings are ambitious and hope to finish their education to come back and serve our communities. We need and would tremendously appreciate your financial support to make this come true. Thank you for standing with us during these difficult times.

I am writing this as I am hearing bombings around our hospital. I am preparing to return to the front lines to assist the injured patients who will soon arrive. Please know that your support and solidarity during these challenging times mean the world to us.

If you're in a position to help, we would be very grateful.