The Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP) has collaborated with the ‘UAE Food Bank’ for the second year to distribute 100 food packages during the holy month of Ramadan to community members suffering from cancer and their families through the annual ‘I Deserve a Life’ Zakat campaign, in a step forward towards delivering on its goals to provide much-needed support to underprivileged cancer patients across the UAE.

Organised by the UAE-based civil society, the campaign continues to receive the enthusiastic support of the UAE community. The campaign also aligns with FOCP’s mandate dedicated to offering financial and psychological support to cancer patients, and raising awareness about cancer and the importance of early detection.

As part of its initiatives for the holy month, FOCP also kicked off the ‘Give & Gain 2022’ Ramadan campaign charity fitness challenge on April 7. Supported by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI)’s Engage Dubai Programme for corporate volunteering, the challenge is open until April 30.

The two Ramadan activations reflect on FOCP’s holistic approach to supporting cancer patients and their families in the UAE, as the non-profit ensures that the less fortunate battling this difficult disease feel especially loved and supported during this holy period. FOCP’s innovative approach to encouraging active community involvement in supporting cancer patients, particularly during Ramadan, also testifies to the non-profit’s holistic methodologies of cancer prevention and care.

‘I Deserve a Life’: An enduring success

Commenting on the ongoing success of the ‘I Deserve a Life’ Zakat campaign, Khawla Rashid, Director of Beneficiary Support Services at FOCP said: “The ‘I Deserve a Life’ campaign is a reinforcement of our holistic approach and steadfast efforts to assist cancer patients, particularly those who are unable to bear the financial costs associated with this long and arduous journey.”

“On behalf of FOCP, I extend my wholehearted gratitude to every individual and organisation in the UAE who have committedly supported our Zakat campaign thus far. The campaign has already made enormous strides this year with supporting cancer patients and covering the cost of their expensive treatment, and with more contributions from new and existing donors, I believe its impact on the UAE’s cancer community can be truly profound,” she added.

FOCP is calling on companies and organisations in the UAE to support their ‘Give & Gain 2022’ Ramadan challenge by encouraging their workforce to download the Relay by FOCP app and fulfil their daily quota of 8,000 steps to stay fit and healthy. In return, participating companies will donate 1 fils for every step their employees take towards FOCP’s efforts in boosting cancer awareness advocacy and providing treatment support.

Relay by FOCP was launched in 2019 at the second edition of the UAE Relay for Life (RFL) cancer walkathon organised by FOCP.

Donation channels

FOCP offers donors the opportunity to contribute to the campaign via online donations enabling community members to donate directly to the foundation’s website at: www.focp.ae. Zakat Coupons worth AED AED 10, 50,100, 500 and 1,000 at https://focp.ae/coupon. SMS Donations are made possible through messaging the word ‘Zakat’ to the Etisalat numbers: 6447 to donate AED 20; 4426 to donate AED 50, 4467 to donate AED 200; or 2308 to donate AED 500. Finally, donations via bank transfer are accepted via FOCP’s ‘Zakatkm Elajohm’ local account number 0011-364854-002 at the Sharjah Islamic Bank (International Bank Account Number ‘IBAN’: AE440410000011364854002).