IMMEDIATE AID NEEDED FOR GAZA CHILDREN
10/Feb/2009
“We spend long hours in the dark without electricity and listen to the agonizing coughing of our children while they struggle for breath,” Ashraf said.
Ashraf and his wife live in Gaza and they have two boys, ages two and three years, with cystic fibrosis (CF). CF clogs all the major organs of the body with thick sticky mucus that blocks the flow of pancreatic enzymes and creates a breeding ground for bacterial infections in the lungs.
The war in Gaza has destroyed homes and hospitals and there are 53 Gaza children with CF who have limited or no access to enzymes and medications that are needed to survive. Some are among the over 35,000 that have fled their homes and are living in shelters.
“My children are more vulnerable than other children and they don’t stand a ghost of a chance without access to necessary medication,” Ashraf continued. “Many have lost their homes and are living in horrible conditions without access to medical care.”
Cystic Fibrosis Worldwide (CFW) is collaborating with the Palestinian Red Crescent in an effort to raise funds to purchase needed enzymes, medications, and other CF needs for the 53 Gaza children who need immediate aid. CFW placed an “SOS for CF in Gaza” on their website at www.cfww.org and people can hit the donate button to help fund immediate aid. Donations can also be mailed to CF Worldwide, SOS for Gaza, 50 Elm Street, Southbridge, MA 01550.
“We can’t stop the war,” CFW Executive Director Christine Noke said, “but we can try to make sure these 53 children get their medical needs met right away and then plan for continued medical attention long term.”
