In Syria, when young Nagham discovered she had leukaemia she was determined to hold onto her optimism and with the “Seeds of Hope” project was able to secure very expensive medication in Homs.
Nagham Wassouf is a young Syrian woman, aged 34. She holds a Master’s degree in Nutrition Sciences from Baath University and lives with her husband in the al-Nouzha district in the city of Homs. In March 2021, her life changed when she discovered she had leukaemia.
As well as the very real, day-to-day battle of having to face this journey to fight the disease, in a country at war, there were also financial difficulties. Medicines needed to treat the disease in Syria, if you can get hold of them, are very expensive. Nagham’s mother managed to get in touch with the “Seeds of Hope” project, and this enabled Nagham to overcome the financial problem, continue treatment and not give up on healthcare.
The young woman’s optimism is contagious. Her reaction upon receiving the diagnosis from the doctor was: “I received the news with a smile and will continue my journey to recovery with the same smile”. Last Christmas she decorated the tree in her house with all the vials used for the medication she had taken on her ‘journey’ which she herself had decorated and transformed into something beautiful.
Nagham is now doing well. She’s in recovery and continues to receive financial and moral support from those working for the project. Despite her leukaemia and the war she is determined to carry on working as a nutritionist and overcome every obstacle. For herself and for others. Always with a smile.