Meet our Patients: Marwa
‘As I walked in through the hospital gate, my heart filled with hope.’
Marwa is a 10-year-old girl from Kohat in Peshawar, Pakistan. In 2021, she was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a type of bone and soft-tissue cancer, common in children. It’s been a long and hard battle for Marwa and her family. This year, thanks to the support of IKCA donors and Shaukat Khanum Hospital staff, she completed her final chemo cycle. We spoke to her father who told us about his daughter’s struggle with cancer.
“It was unbelievable to hear the word ‘cancer’ in the same sentence as Marwa's name. It was as if the world as we knew it was no more.” Said Marwa’s father, who earns a humble income as a driver. He could not afford the expensive cancer treatment his daughter would need to survive. He told us that when they first received Marwa’s diagnosis, he felt a great sense of helplessness and despair. But he was determined not to give up. He brought his daughter to Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, in Peshawar in August 2021.
“As I walked in through the hospital gate, my heart filled with hope,” he said. The family were relieved to learn that their daughter would receive the best possible care at Shaukat Khanum Hospital, free of charge. Because here, everyone receives quality treatment irrespective of their ability to pay, thanks to the Zakat of hospital supporters all over the world.
Marwa’s treatment included surgery and chemotherapy. Her last chemo dose was administered in June 2022.
“I witnessed that everyone, rich and poor, received the same medicines, treatment and services,” Marwa’s father continued. “My daughter received the best care, recovered and is now back home.”
Marwa’s active cancer treatment is complete now and she is scheduled for regular follow-up consultations to manage her health after cancer. Marwa’s father’s relief is tangible.
“They are even taking care of my daughter after her treatment ended,” he said. “Today, my daughter is a happy young girl who is going to school and studying in class 4. She has a second chance at life and we are grateful to the founder of this hospital, the doctors, the staff, and everyone who supports and makes the miracle of life possible with their generosity and hard work, every single day.”
Cancer is one of the costliest medical conditions to treat. Thanks to thousands of our supporters from all over the world, Shaukat Khanum Hospitals offers hope to families like Marwa’s; families who would otherwise not be able to afford the expensive care. Thank you for trusting us with your Zakat and Sadaqah so we can treat patients like Marwa every day.