Terminally ill patients need help to overcome their anxiety

Dubai: Simple words can make a world of difference to a person who feels failed by medical science. As a volunteer, Sabaa Omar might not be able to cure terminally ill patients but she puts a lot of effort into easing their anxieties.

Sabaa has taken it up as her mission to spend time with patients at Shaikh Khalifa Medical City. The 25-year-old first took an interest in the work when she was younger, with her mother in Pakistan.

She says: "Something as simple as talking to patients and finding out about their life and family can have a tremendously positive effect on them."

Terminally ill patients often feel scared and having someone there for them to take their mind off their illness helps them no end, she says.

"There was a patient who lost her memory in an accident; so the whole time I kept asking her questions about her past and telling her about mine to try and bring her memories back. It really helped," she recalls.

"It is very tiring because while seeing those people suffering, you have to put on a strong character and make sure you are there for them when their families are not around," she said.

Not many people feel comfortable with terminally ill patients. "In some cases, when doctors allow me to help such patients, I would try my best - no matter how painful it is to see them in their state - to make them feel comfortable," Sabaa said.

Her day starts with being assigned a patient. After she gets to know the person, she initiates the 'fun' process. If doctors permit, she takes her patients outside in the garden for tea, feeds them in some cases, or plays games to get their minds off their problems. "It's like looking after a family member," she said.

There are patients who ask about her every day when they don't see her.

Sabaa said: "A connection builds between me and them, so when the time comes to say goodbye, it becomes very difficult because I get used to their presence."

Omar said: "As emotionally exhausting as it is, helping patients is very gratifying. They might be hesitant at first but when they open up, they start depending on us being there for them when they feel lonely or scared. Every time I leave the hospital I feel I have made a difference in someone's life."