Dubai: A 29-year-old expat who has survived cancer not once or twice but four times says he only made it thanks to his mother’s support.
In an emotional tribute to his mother on the occasion of Mother’s Day, Ahmad Al Barghouthi from Palestine posted a video sharing how he almost gave up on his life when he was diagnosed with the disease the second time at the age of 19.
However, he says, the sight of his mother crying in front of him the first time and her plea to him to continue his treatment became a turning point in his life.
- Ahmad Al Barghouthi | Palestinian cancer survivor
In the video, which has gone viral on social media and has been watched over 100,000 times, Al Barghouthi says his determination to triumph over the disease came thanks to his mother.
“When I was told that I was diagnosed with the disease again, I refused to go through treatment. The only thing that gave me the motivation to continue was my mother, I didn’t want to let her down, and I want to thank her for making me a strong person,” he said in the video. “When she told me, we will fight it together and you will get treated, that was the turning point in my life.”
Speaking to Gulf News, Al Barghouthi said he battled his first encounter with lymphoma — or cancer of the lymph nodes — when he was only 12 years old and was hospitalised for eight months. He was re-diagnosed again at the ages of 19, 20 and 21.
“For every battle with cancer, there was a different challenge. When I was 12, my mother talked me through it, convincing me that I would be cured. But when I was 19, I was fully convinced that I didn’t want to go through treatment again. At that time I never knew or heard of anyone who had cancer twice and survived,” said Al Barghouthi, who was born and raised in the UAE.
He said he didn’t have an issue with giving up on life. “I didn’t want to go through chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other treatments, but when my mother held my hand and told me we will get treated and cured. I made it a vow to fight the disease.”
Al Barghouthi said that when he was diagnosed the fourth time, he reassured his mother that he wouldn’t die of cancer.
“It never became a thought, it was intrinsic and became a part of me that I wanted to get better for her. I told myself I won’t submit to cancer and whatever will happen I’m going to get through it,” he said.
He added that through the video he wanted to pay tribute to his mother for planting this strength in him. “She not only supported me, she gave me strength and motivation that are still with me today and I wanted to thank her publicly for that.”
Al Barghouthi’s inspiring video has received lots of reaction from people who praised his resilience.
“I just want to say, it takes a village to support a cancer patient. When I look back, I remember my journey with cancer as tough and beautiful at the same time. I look back at all the love and support I got from everyone including doctors, nurses, family, friends, professors and strangers.”
