Friday 19 / April / 2024
Muscat: Dar Al Hanan, a home away from home for those battling cancer, celebrated the first birthday of its youngest patient, Asmaa, on Sunday.
Hailing from Yemen, the baby girl was born with neuroblastoma cancer, which forms in certain types of nerve tissue. She turned one on January 6, 2019.
Among the 14 patients currently residing at Dar Al Hanan with their family, Asmaa came with her mother in June 2018 and has been receiving the treatment since then. The children are being treated for the deadly disease, cancer, at the Royal Hospital and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital.
Dar Al Hanan, situated in a twin villa can accommodate up to 16 patients with their parents as it has 16 rooms with attached bathroom. It is operational 24 hours a day for cancer patients and their families, from infancy to the age of 13 and provides free accommodation, three square meals a day and shuttle services to and from the hospitals they are receiving their treatment from.
It is a project developed by Oman Cancer Association (OCA) to support children with cancer residing outside the capital. Officially inaugurated in January 2011, it is the brainchild of a four-time cancer survivor Yuthar Al Rawahy. She is the founder and honorary life president of the association.
The association opened as a landmark project dedicated to serve the needs of children with cancer who require outpatient treatment PROTOCOL. Since then, the doors have been open to all children under the age of 17 years, suffering from cancer.
Since its foundation, the non- governmental and non-profit charity organisation has been working to create and spread awareness regarding the deadly disease. It also aims to support cancer patients, survivors, their families and the community at large. To extend your support in this drive, you could make a donation to Bank Muscat under the name ‘Oman Cancer Association’ and account number 0315004093350018.
Video courtesy: Oman Cancer Association
