In November 2018, when
Youssef was only one year old, he was diagnosed with a retinoblastoma, a rare
form of eye cancer. The resulting tumour had spread throughout his right eye
socket.
One month later, Youssef
underwent an emergency operation to remove his right eye, followed by six
months of chemotherapy.
In addition to the many
difficult side effects of his treatment, the operation left Youssef’s eye
socket empty. The doctors recommended fitting a prosthetic eye to help boost
his self-confidence as he gets older.
Youssef’s parents
understood how beneficial the prosthetic would be to their child’s long-term
mental health and his life in the future. They immediately began trying to find
support to cover the cost of the expensive procedure, eventually reaching out
to Al Jalila Foundation for help.
As part of its ‘A’awen’
programme, Al Jalila Foundation worked with the Federal Authority for
Government Human Resources to raise the necessary funds to provide the small
boy with a high-quality prosthetic eye.
Youssef’s mother openly
voiced her concerns that her son would find it difficult to integrate into
society because of his condition: “As a mother, I was afraid that he may be
bullied by children, and we even avoided going out. Thanks to receiving the
prosthetic eye, Youssef’s natural facial features have returned, and today,
Youssef is a happy, confident three-year-old who enjoys playing with his
friends. We thank everyone who donated and are extremely grateful for all the
support we received from Al Jalila Foundation.”