One of the best days in my entire life. Today was very special, and there are some things that have changed in me in those twenty-four hours. We'll never know how blessed we are with our health, because we've never experienced a major pain, or been through a surgery. Our strength is always hidden, until something huge attacks our bodies. Our hope increases because we still have life inside of us, and around us by those who love and support us. I don't know how to explain my feelings: Am I sad? Or am I inspired?
''Where there is life, there is hope." This is the motto of the foundation that I visited this morning. Last month, a very unusual idea came to my mind. I had the desire of visiting children with cancer. I really don't know why, but I felt like I needed to see them; I needed to meet new people who don't care about the brand of your make-up and clothes. I needed to find a smile, a true smile that came directly from the heart.
So, I googled a million things, and with the help of the Roche company, I found the Hope Foundation for Children with Cancer. I contacted a man named Mr. Samer Hazem from Roche, then I received an email from Ms. Asli who works in the foundation in Istanbul. She was very sweet and kind in her emails, and then asked me about the reason why I wanted to visit them. I was sitting on the stairs of my house because the wifi signal was very low, and the temperature was above forty, and I had that question that needed a very true answer! I didn't have a very 'professional' one, and I didn't even know why I wanted to go there. So five minutes later I sent her a decent reply. A couple of days later, Asli sent me a reply and we agreed that we'll meet on August 5th, at exactly 10 am.
I had to tell my parents that I will visit the foundation on the week of our vacation in Istanbul. The first thing that they said was: "Why?" I had to find a more professional answer that involved some humanity into it. They didn't say much, because how could they say 'no'? The only reply that I got from them was "Good luck!". And that's how I got my two approvals. I was very happy and excited, I didn't know what to expect, but I had a new type of happiness that filled my heart. I knew that this will be a great experience. But, I had to wait for a whole month...
The one month passed and we arrived to Istanbul! I was literally counting the hours for this visit, I couldn't even sleep last night because I was thinking about it. I told the hotel's receptionist to wake me up at nine, I set my alarm to nine, and I told my sisters too to set their alarm on nine, but they ignored me. I think that I slept at four, and suddenly, it felt like I slept for five minuets, and I heard the alarm and the telephone ringing. I couldn't open my eyes, but I was so excited, and was ready to leave thirty minutes after that!
Asli came and picked us up from the hotel (my older sister, Latifa, and I) and we went directly to the family home which is located near Taksim.
The family home is the foundation's biggest project. It's a building which has a kitchen, a laundry room, a playing room, bedrooms, a backyard that has some games, and maybe some other things. Kids with cancer who don't live in Istanbul but moved there for their treatment are welcome at the family home with their family, because sometimes the treatment takes months, and the family home welcomes them as their second supportive family. We entered and saw the cutest little girl. I think that she's three or four years old. Seriously, I'm not joking, she was SO cute, and, she had cancer. She was wearing a mask, but we were able to see her smile through her eyes. We saw her strength through her childish laugh that made us laugh too. We saw her hope of getting better and recovering. I pictured a future for this girl who shall recover soon, and I'd love to meet her again.
Then we went downstairs to the playing room and saw another cute girl. Unfortunately, she was going through her chemotherapy, that's why she has lost all of her hair. But, but, but, but, that's not sad, hold on! She was running between her parents and whispering to them, and talking to Asli like any other kid in this world. She didn't care, because those are kids, they look at the world as their own coloring book, and they picture everything and color it the way they want. Everyone in there had a lot of hope and love. They were filled with life. They taught me about the true meaning of happiness which is to stick by those whom we love through everything. They were a family, and the kids were the stars of the house that made it look alive and beautiful.
After that, we left the family home and went to the hospital which wasn't far away. It was HUGE, but we only went to the kids' cancer section. Asli asked us to wash our hands and wear masks to prevent any germs from going to the kids. She was telling them that we're from Saudi Arabia, and none of them knew it, and then I asked her to tell them that it's a very hot country, but still, the kids shook their heads when she told them about it. A boy played us something that was very beautiful on the piano. The foundation had provided the hospital with a room for a kids that had that piano, a t.v, a projector, a Play Station, books, and many other things. They also have two or three volunteers there everyday to play with the kids, and change their daily routine for them.
''Where there is life, there is hope." This is the motto of the foundation that I visited this morning. Last month, a very unusual idea came to my mind. I had the desire of visiting children with cancer. I really don't know why, but I felt like I needed to see them; I needed to meet new people who don't care about the brand of your make-up and clothes. I needed to find a smile, a true smile that came directly from the heart.
So, I googled a million things, and with the help of the Roche company, I found the Hope Foundation for Children with Cancer. I contacted a man named Mr. Samer Hazem from Roche, then I received an email from Ms. Asli who works in the foundation in Istanbul. She was very sweet and kind in her emails, and then asked me about the reason why I wanted to visit them. I was sitting on the stairs of my house because the wifi signal was very low, and the temperature was above forty, and I had that question that needed a very true answer! I didn't have a very 'professional' one, and I didn't even know why I wanted to go there. So five minutes later I sent her a decent reply. A couple of days later, Asli sent me a reply and we agreed that we'll meet on August 5th, at exactly 10 am.
I had to tell my parents that I will visit the foundation on the week of our vacation in Istanbul. The first thing that they said was: "Why?" I had to find a more professional answer that involved some humanity into it. They didn't say much, because how could they say 'no'? The only reply that I got from them was "Good luck!". And that's how I got my two approvals. I was very happy and excited, I didn't know what to expect, but I had a new type of happiness that filled my heart. I knew that this will be a great experience. But, I had to wait for a whole month...
The one month passed and we arrived to Istanbul! I was literally counting the hours for this visit, I couldn't even sleep last night because I was thinking about it. I told the hotel's receptionist to wake me up at nine, I set my alarm to nine, and I told my sisters too to set their alarm on nine, but they ignored me. I think that I slept at four, and suddenly, it felt like I slept for five minuets, and I heard the alarm and the telephone ringing. I couldn't open my eyes, but I was so excited, and was ready to leave thirty minutes after that!
Asli came and picked us up from the hotel (my older sister, Latifa, and I) and we went directly to the family home which is located near Taksim.
The family home is the foundation's biggest project. It's a building which has a kitchen, a laundry room, a playing room, bedrooms, a backyard that has some games, and maybe some other things. Kids with cancer who don't live in Istanbul but moved there for their treatment are welcome at the family home with their family, because sometimes the treatment takes months, and the family home welcomes them as their second supportive family. We entered and saw the cutest little girl. I think that she's three or four years old. Seriously, I'm not joking, she was SO cute, and, she had cancer. She was wearing a mask, but we were able to see her smile through her eyes. We saw her strength through her childish laugh that made us laugh too. We saw her hope of getting better and recovering. I pictured a future for this girl who shall recover soon, and I'd love to meet her again.
Then we went downstairs to the playing room and saw another cute girl. Unfortunately, she was going through her chemotherapy, that's why she has lost all of her hair. But, but, but, but, that's not sad, hold on! She was running between her parents and whispering to them, and talking to Asli like any other kid in this world. She didn't care, because those are kids, they look at the world as their own coloring book, and they picture everything and color it the way they want. Everyone in there had a lot of hope and love. They were filled with life. They taught me about the true meaning of happiness which is to stick by those whom we love through everything. They were a family, and the kids were the stars of the house that made it look alive and beautiful.
After that, we left the family home and went to the hospital which wasn't far away. It was HUGE, but we only went to the kids' cancer section. Asli asked us to wash our hands and wear masks to prevent any germs from going to the kids. She was telling them that we're from Saudi Arabia, and none of them knew it, and then I asked her to tell them that it's a very hot country, but still, the kids shook their heads when she told them about it. A boy played us something that was very beautiful on the piano. The foundation had provided the hospital with a room for a kids that had that piano, a t.v, a projector, a Play Station, books, and many other things. They also have two or three volunteers there everyday to play with the kids, and change their daily routine for them.
Asli was talking and I was just looking at the kids. ''Are you okay?" she asked, ''you seem to have...", "teary eyes?" I replied. I told her that I'm fine, but, after I left the hospital things weren't fine. I was affected by the visit, I wanted to do something, but I felt paralyzed.
Those kids, those angels, those inspirational figures have changed me. Asli with her great personality has changed me. The parents' support has changed me. I'm thankful for my health, but I'll try to come back to Istanbul just to repeat that visit and do something.
We must live our lives, people, because we never know what will our destiny bring for us. I never knew that one day I'll do this, but here I am, I did it, and I regret not enjoying every second of my life. This is the best thing that I've done. And now, I'll do my best to help those kids.
August 5th, 2013
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