UAE: Children with illnesses share stories of hope ahead of Christmas

Rishaan Kumar, 6, from India said he had a great time with everyone at the event organized by the Al Jalila Foundation. Rishaan, who was born with a congenital posterior urethral valve and underwent kidney treatment and surgery with foundation support, said he enjoyed meeting other children and making cookie fillings.

“It was fun and a big surprise. We had a lot of laughs and the best part was I got a teddy bear as a gift,” he added. Kumar said there were Christmas cookies and gingerbread men to decorate. “I used a lot of sprinkles to decorate the bread.”

His mother, Swapna, said she was happy to see her son mingle with other children. “They looked like super chefs when they laughed that day,” she added.

Swapna said that thanks to the foundation, Rishaan has a new lease on life and he wanted to take part in the Christmas event to show his performance.

“It’s a way of giving back to the foundation, it’s done a lot for us. The staff at Al Jalila are there. They’re cheering for the kids.”

Rishaan was born with a blocked kidney which caused him to have incomplete urine output. He stored urine in his system causing his body to become infected. “He had to have very expensive surgery. But the support we got changed his life,” Swapna said.

Swapna added that she and her son attended Christmas events to deliver a message to parents of sick children.

“Don’t hesitate to ask for help, because there is help around. Many parents are embarrassed to ask for financial help for their children. It will only damage your child’s health. So go and ask for help for your child.”

Mother Rebecca Ooga from Cameroon and her two-year-old son Jayden also participated in the event. “My son was diagnosed with chronic anemia. I was very lucky to receive help from the foundation for my son. The Christmas campaign was our way of showing our support to the foundation,” she said.

“So glad the Foundation remembered us and called us to the party. It was so lovely to see Jayden with the other kids.”

Mothers with sick children don’t have to feel alone while traveling, she added.

“There’s a lot of support available — whether it’s financial or emotional. People need to ask for help and ask for it. Children and parents should have hope and faith. And then everything works,” Ooga said.

It’s also the mantra of 11-year-old Sri Lankan student Lakduli Chesadi, who has been diagnosed with a lifelong disease, juvenile dermatomyositis. “If you believe you’re going to get better, you’re going to be better. I’m feeling better now than I was before. My therapy and medication are going on and I’m hoping to get better,” Lakduli said.

“The Christmas event was a huge success. We had a lot of fun. We took lots of photos and videos. It was amazing.”

Filipino Hana Sarmiento, who received the gift of her life, a cochlear implant, in 2014, said she had never been happier. “I could never hear. Now I can. This is such a precious gift to me. I decided to go to the Christmas event and meet other kids and tell them my story. There was hope, love and tremendous support there. We have to pay attention to it,” she said.

Hana, who is in fifth grade, said every Christmas is special. “But this year we had a small party and it was extra special to us. I met a lot of kids with different illnesses. It made me think about how strong and brave we all are.”

She added: “I’m so happy with the way I was created. We learn to accept and love ourselves. Never lose hope because God will send someone to be your hero.”