Ten years after retiring as a teacher, doctors diagnosed Malek’s sister with cancer. Unfortunately, her insurance would not cover the costs of any exams, tests or appointments related to incurable diseases, like cancer. When Malek’s sister received her diagnosis of leukemia, her doctor made it very clear that the only treatment for her was Rituximab. This news shocked her family, and thus they started one of the hardest journeys of their lives: the journey of searching for that medication.

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After long hours of searching and calling different pharmacies to find Rituximab, Malek and his brother realized their search was in vain. Unfortunately, they could not find a single box of Rituximab in the country of Lebanon. After talking about this situation with his neighbour, Malek received the number of an unknown individual who transported medications from Turkey to Lebanon. After inquiring about this service, Malek learned that the cost of transportation in this manner was equivalent to $3,000 for one injection of Rituximab. This cost was higher than what the family could afford, so they turned to contacting different organizations in Lebanon, but that did not lead to the medication either. “In my entire life, I have never felt as powerless as this experience made me feel,” Malek said.

During her brothers’ search for her medicine, the hospital admitted their sister several times so that she could receive treatment to alleviate her symptoms. This resulted in a large medical bill that also required attention, so the two brothers gathered all the money that they had and took out a loan to pay the hospital.

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After a couple of months, Malek found out that Rituximab was back in stock at certain pharmacies in Lebanon. The family was very excited to hear this news but then found out that one injection of Rituximab would cost $1,500. His sister needed six injections per cycle, meaning that the family would need to pay $9,000 for every full treatment. With the financial crisis in Lebanon in full swing, Malek’s family could hardly afford to pay for food and fuel, let alone the medical expenses for his sister.

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“It is not easy to be born in this country; it is a burden that we must carry everyday with us as we try to survive. Healthcare in Lebanon is for the wealthy, not the poor. My sister worked all her life as a teacher and the government should cover all her medical bills. Our family shouldn’t have to beg for money or wait for her situation to get critical to admit her to the hospital,” Malek said.

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Three months later, the only thing Malek felt that he could do was wish for a miracle. “My sister was dying in front of our eyes, and we couldn’t do anything to help her,” he explained. One day her doctor reached out to notify the family that the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) had received a donation of Rituximab, which could provide her with treatment. From this donation, Malek’s sister received her first injection of Rituximab, marking the beginning of her treatment.

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“We were so shocked and grateful and just couldn’t believe it. Today, my sister received her first shot, thanks to this generous donation. We are so hopeful and believe that this treatment is the only way in which she will beat her cancer. My family expresses their gratitude to the donor, and we hope that the treatment will continue without any interruption,” Malek said.

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We are working tirelessly to source and send more medicines to meet the growing needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon. We urgently need your support to continue this life-saving work. Will you help us bring hope and better access to health to those affected by this crisis?

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