UAE | General
Happy ending
It was a heart-warming story about people from across the globe coming together to give a young Afghan boy, suffering from thalassaemia major, a new lease of life.
- By Jyoti Kalsi, Special to Gulf News
- Published: 00:00 September 10, 2003
It's a story of compassion, of brotherhood, of fighting against the odds and emerging a winner. Ali Ahmed, a thalassaemia major child whose story Tabloid first ran on May 14, has hope after a bone marrow transplant
 Ali, an Afghan boy suffering from thalassaemia major gets a new lease of life, with help from people around the world. |
The surgery was successful; and both Ali and his brother Ahmad, who was the donor, are recovering well.
The mood was joyous when last week Jane Shaw and Faisal Khilji, committee members of the Canadian Business Council, Dubai Afghan Children's Fund, met with Dr. Shamsi, who was in Dubai to attendan oncology conference. Over the last few months Jane and Faisal have made several trips to Karachi to make arrangements for Ali's treatment and to work out the logistics of having his family members near him.
They were delighted to see the pictures of Ali and Ahmad that Dr. Shamsi had brought with him.
"Ali has become such an important part of our lives. It is wonderful to see that he is recovering well and has actually put on six kgs; and I am really proud of Ahmad, who is only 10 years old but looks after his younger brother so well. But this is not the end. Ali is still under observation and both boys will remain in hospital for several more months," said Jane.
 From left: Jane Shaw of Canadian Business Council, Uzma Shamsi with Mahnoor, Dr Tahir Shamsi with Umar and Faisal Khilji. |
This story began when Ali's uncle, a barber employed by the Canadian peace keeping forces in Kandahar, Afghanistan, spoke about his concern for his nephew's health to Alex Watson, one of the soldiers.
On being advised by the Canadian Military Hospital that Ali had thalassaemia major, which could only be treated by a bone marrow transplant, Watson began a fundraising campaign in Canada. He raised $8,000 through his regiment and schools in Alberta. The effort was then taken over by the CBC's Afghan Children's Fund, who launched a Dirham Drive in March. The campaign involving schools, companies, community organisations and individuals in the UAE raised Dh150,000.
"Most of the money we raised has been spent on Ali's pre-operative tests and care, the surgery and arrangements for his family's travels to visit him. Dr. Shamsi has offered his services free and also sponsored the postoperative care that will run into Rs 5 lakhs. Some funds will be used for the drugs that Ali still needs.
"If everything goes well, we want to use the money that is left to ensure that when the brothers return to Afghanistan, they get a decent education and proper care. We would also like to help Dr. Shamsi upgrade the children's playroom and the school at the hospital," said Jane.
"Ali's story will have a happy ending, thanks mainly to the generous donors in the UAE and Canada, several people in Pakistan who helped us with local arrangements and looked after the children in the absence of their family and the support of the press. We were particularly touched by the school children, who expressed deep compassion for Ali, raised funds for him and also gave us toys and other gifts for the boys. We want to thank everyone who supported us in this effort," said Faisal.
Man &mission
• Bismillah Taqee Institute of Health Sciences and Blood Diseases Centre is the dream project of Dr. Tahir Shamsi. "My mission is to provide the highest quality haematology and oncology services and treatment at an affordable cost. I believe that poverty should not be allowed to rob those suffering from disease of the right to live," said Dr. Shamsi.
• After completing his education in the U.K. Dr. Shamsi came back to Pakistan and has been working in this field of medicine for over a decade. Three years ago he opened this hospital in Karachi. "I want to serve patients suffering from cancer, blood diseases such as thalassaemia, haemophilia, blood cancer, various types of anaemia and those in need of bone marrow transplants from all over the country. My goal is to develop this from a 55-bed facility to a 250-bed hospital in the next five years," he said.
• Keeping in mind the needs of children suffering from long term illnesses Dr. Shamsi also runs a school in the hospital. "For many children this is the only school they ever go to. Our child outpatients look forward to coming for their check ups because they enjoy their time at the school and in our well-equipped playroom," he said. He also plans to extend the school service to help his patients appear for the board exams.
• I asked Dr. Shamsi how people in the UAE could help in his project. "We do not accept donations. But since there is no bone marrow transplant facility in the UAE yet, patients could come to us for treatment. Our facilities are state of the art and the more paying patients we have, the more needy ones we can help. Also people could sponsor a needy child for treatment at our hospital."
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