Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – February 26, 2024: During a celebration held on the occasion of International Childhood Cancer Day, which falls on February 15 of each year, the continuous cooperation between the “Make A Wish” foundation, the Ministry of Interior, and Burjeel Medical City contributed to granting the wishes of 6 children, aged between 4 and 14 years old, suffering from cancer and undergoing treatment at Burjeel Medical City, the leading quaternary hospital under the Burjeel Holding Company.
The ceremony was attended by Colonel Mohammed Butti Al Shamsi, Director of the Public Relations Department at the Ministry of Interior; Rola Abu Mannah, Board Member of the “Make A Wish” foundation; Hani Al Zubeidi, CEO of the “Make A Wish” foundation; Ibrahim Abu Ghaida, Chief Medical Officer at Burjeel Medical City; the medical and administrative staff at Burjeel Medical City; in addition to the Happiness Police and cartoon police characters, and the families of the children.
The wishes of the children varied between performing Umrah, obtaining iPad Pro and iPhone devices, electronic police cars, small ambulance cars, and going shopping to buy toys, in a ceremony organized by the foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior at the Burjeel Medical City building, amidst a wonderful celebratory atmosphere featuring a magical performance by the world-renowned magician “Drummond Money-Coutts”, who presented an interactive and astonishing mix of card magic and mind reading during the granting of the children’s wishes, as well as cake cutting and taking commemorative photos.
Hani Al Zubeidi, CEO of the “Make A Wish” foundation, stated: “The efforts of the world converge on February 15 to raise societal awareness about the seriousness of childhood cancer and to call for combating this fierce disease and contributing together to saving millions of lives annually by increasing awareness among individuals and governments in all countries of the world about cancer, in addition to correcting misconceptions and common myths about the disease.” He added: “Our celebration of this day aims to bring happiness, joy, and feelings of optimism to the hearts of some of our sick children and their families, and to inform them that their struggles with the disease can be accompanied by hope that their small and big dreams and wishes alike are supported by large support and kind-hearted individuals who seek to illuminate the bright future ahead of them.”
Al Zubeidi expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Ministry of Interior and to the philanthropists for their continuous cooperation and support, and to the management of “Burjeel Medical City” in Abu Dhabi for their distinguished care for the patients.
Colonel Mohammed Butti Al Shamsi, Director of the Public Relations Department at the Ministry of Interior, emphasized the importance of community participation and enhancing partnerships in support of efforts to protect the community and provide a safe and healthy environment for all its members, pointing out that the Ministry of Interior cooperates with all national institutions in
supporting community initiatives that contribute to enhancing the quality of life for the UAE community.
On his part, Ibrahim Abu Ghaida, Chief Medical Officer at Burjeel Medical City, said: “Seeing these wishes come true fills our hearts with great happiness. It is a great honor to stand with these brave children and their families and remind them that even in the face of adversity, dreams can come true.” He added: “We want to spread feelings of reassurance in the hearts of all families that we are committed to standing by them and supporting them on this journey. We also take this opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of early detection, receiving treatment, and community support in combating childhood cancer.”
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About Make A Wish Foundation:
A non-profit organization licensed by the Ministry of Community Development in the United Arab Emirates, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, with a noble humanitarian strategy aimed at granting the wishes of children suffering from life-threatening illnesses in general. So far, more than 6,700 wishes have been granted for sick children inside and outside the UAE suffering from serious illnesses, without discrimination based on gender, language, religion, or creed.
About Burjeel Medical City:
Burjeel Medical City, located in Mohammed Bin Zayed City – Abu Dhabi, is the primary medical facility of the Burjeel Holding Group. The hospital seeks excellence in healthcare by providing the latest specialized medical devices in medical technology. The hospital is also one of the few in the region to include comprehensive pediatric subspecialties such as childhood tumors, gastrointestinal diseases, neurology, and neonatology.
