The first and only public department for children with cancer in Palestine
The building of this department was sparked by the untimely death of our founding head social worker, Huda Al Masri, from leukemia in July 2009. At that time, there was no department for children with cancer in the Palestinian ministry of health, meaning that sick patients had to cross military checkpoints on a regular basis – if they could get permits – for treatment. In 2012, we began building the first and only public cancer department for children in Huda’s name at Beit Jala Hospital near the ancient city of Bethlehem. Thanks to thousands of private donors all over the world, we opened the department in April 2013. We continue to support the training of staff, medical missions to the department, repairs, material, and the social and medical needs of patients in the department to continue to ensure that our children fighting this terrible disease have access the best care possible in the world.
Razan Hels
5 years old from Gaza and has
leukemia
Talal Al Menwai
5 years old from Gaza and has
leukemia
Najeh Asi
11 years old from Ramallah ,
and diagnosed Burkitt lymphoma
Salamah Samour
5 years old from Gaza and has
leukemia
Dua’a Abd Al Nabi
12 years old from Gaza and has
leukemia
Aysar
7 year Old Aysar from Hebron
was diagnosed with Leukemia type ALL
Each child we treat in our department has a face and a name. They are the reason that thousands of donors all over the world made this department possible
In April of 2015, the PCRF opened the Huda Al Masri Healing Garden at Beit Jala hospital, a playground and garden that allows our patients to relax during their difficult treatment in the hospital. The garden, named after our former head social worker who passed away from leukemia in July 2009, gives our patients a loving and fun atmosphere and is the only garden within any hospital in Palestine of its kind. If you would like to donate to help maintain the garden, please donate here.
The PCRF is one of the few NGOs in Palestine that keeps a permanent presence in a public hospital to ensure that medical and psychosocial support for patients continue unabated.
While children are in the department getting treatment, the PCRF sponsors birthday parties for them to help support their psychological situation while they undergo treatment.
We work with the “Red Nose Clowns”, a local NGO that comes to the department to entertain the children and bring smiles to their faces during their challenging treatment.
Children require lab tests that are not covered by their insurance. The PCRF covers the cost of them as a way to ensure that they are properly diagnosed and getting the best treatment possible.
Children who are being treated in the department are often there for several weeks at a time, missing their studies. We hire students to help tutor them in math, English and Arabic.
Huda Al Masri was one of the founders of the PCRF and as our head social worker from 1993 until her tragic death from leukemia in 2009, helped to build the organization. Huda was known by everyone who met her as a loving mother, devoted wife, hard-working social worker, and exemplary leader whose vision and dedication to serving her people in Palestine enabled the PCRF to grow into one of the most respected and established non-profits in the Middle East.
