A poster at AUBMC during a press conference marking Wednesday's donation of more than $1 million in vital cancer medications, which are expected to assist leukemia patients in particular. (L'Orient Today/João Sousa)
BEIRUT — The Cancer Support Fund at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, received a donation Wednesday of more than $1.4 million worth of cancer medications, which are expected to assist leukemia patients and others with vital care, an AUBMC administrator told L'Orient Today.
The cancer medications came from People to People Aid, a US organization, in partnership with Direct Relief and MAP International, and are part of a larger $5 million dollar international donation of chronic, psychotropic and cancer medications that arrived in Lebanon last week, according to an AUB Medical Center press release. The Cancer Support Fund is an NGO affiliated with AUBMC but assists adult cancer patients throughout Lebanon.
US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea speaks at a press conference at AUBMC on Aug. 17, 2022. (L'Orient Today/João Sousa)
Celine Abu Karam, a clinical department administrator at AUBMC’s cancer institute and at the Cancer Support Fund, told L’Orient Today that the donation on Wednesday means many leukemia patients may now receive medications to stabilize their conditions and prevent them from relapsing.
US ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea said at a press conference following the donation that it was “wonderful to see that those medications are here, in the hope that they will provide much-needed relief to patients.”
The provisions come at a particularly difficult time for Lebanon’s healthcare sector amid a financial crisis — stocks of medicines and equipment are running dry, highly skilled doctors and nurses are fleeing the country at record rates and health insurers are bowing under the pressure of a spiraling exchange rate.
“Our goal is to not let down any patient but rather keep hope shining by providing them with the chance to access proper care and treatment,” said Cancer Support Fund President Hala Dahdah Abou Jaber at Wednesday’s press conference.
Joyce Baddoush, a social worker at the AUBMC cancer unit, told L’Orient Today that through the donations given on Wednesday, many cancer patients would be able to continue their necessary treatment either for free or through partial contributions by the fund.
US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea at AUBMC on Aug. 17, 2022. (L'Orient Today/João Sousa)
Correction: This article has been amended to reflect the affiliation and purpose of the Cancer Support Fund, which is affiliated with AUBMC and assists adult cancer patients throughout Lebanon.