Sharjah, April 13, 2023

 

Friends Of Cancer Patients (FOCP), the UAE-based civil society, has continued its mission to strengthen the nation’s spirit of solidarity with cancer victims and their families by bringing together 300 cancer survivors and patients receiving ongoing financial and moral support from FOCP, as well as a host of community members for a Ramadan Iftar gathering recently.     

 

One of FOCP’s key annual events, the Iftar was organised to boost patient morale, and at the same time, invite individuals and organisations across the UAE to donate to help lift the financial burden that several families carry while getting their loved ones treated for the disease. 

 

HE Sawsan Jafar, Chairperson of FOCP Board of Directors, addressed the attending families and individuals: “This gathering is a reminder that you are not alone in this difficult battle that many of you have been fighting with courage and strength for years. FOCP is here to do our best to offer you all the knowledge, information and financial support to the extent possible for us. Our ultimate goal is to strengthen your belief in your ability to win over cancer. We must all work together to build a prevailing societal culture in which cancer patients are empowered to lead full and hope-filled lives, just like everyone else.”

 

Other officials and partners who joined the FOCP Iftar included HE Sheika Aysha Al Qasimi, FOCP board member, along with a number of donors, medical teams, doctors, volunteers as well as FOCP staff.  

 

300 families receive Ramadan Meer 

As part of the continuous efforts to provide support to cancer patients and their families and alleviate the economic difficulties they face, FOCP, in collaboration with UAE Food Bank and Dubai Police, distributed Ramadan Meer to 300 low-income families of cancer patients in the UAE. The packages included food parcels and essential items.

 

Kiswat Eid (Eid clothing) for 13 families

To alleviate financial burdens that cancer patients and their families carry, FOCP, provided the children of 13 cancer patients families with Kiswat Eid (Eid clothing) to enjoy Eid Al Fitr celebrations and boost the overall morale of the patients and their families.

 

How to donate to FOCP’s Zakat 2023 drive

FOCP has initiated a Zakat drive to assist financially-burdened cancer patients during Ramadan and it urges everyone to support their community drive by contributing generously to the cause of helping cancer patients and their families during Ramadan. Support can be extended via: 

 

Zakat Coupons: To support FOCP's noble cause, individuals can purchase Zakat coupons through their website: https://focp.ae, https://focp.ae/zakat, https://focp.ae/coupon.

 

Bank Transfers: Donations can also be made via bank transfers to FOCP's account no: 007-520-0257455-01 at the Dubai Islamic Bank (International Bank Account Number IBAN: AE32 0240 0075 2002 5745 501).

 

SMS Donations: People can also donate by sending an SMS with the word 'Zakat' to the following designated Etisalat numbers: 6447 to donate Dh20; 4426 to donate Dh50; 4467 to donate AED200; or 2308 to donate Dh500.

 

The financial support provided by FOCP in 2022 was extended to over 200 cancer patients with a budget exceeding AED 3 million in addition to initiatives and programmes, which focused on raising awareness about cancer risks, early detection, and offering financial and moral support to patients and their families.