SHARJAH, (Pakistan Point News - 01st Jul, 2018) In their first collaboration with the UAE-based cancer non-profit, Friends of Cancer Patients, FOCP, the Dubai Islamic Bank, DIB, has made a generous contribution of AED1 million to FOCP’s Zakat campaign.
The charity announced that this sizable donation will be used by the FOCP to support patients in the UAE who are burdened by the high costs of cancer treatment.
The donation will be used to support a wide spectrum of cancer care, including the costs of first-line and second-line chemotherapy and radiotherapy, surgical procedures, and also help in paying for medications, prosthetic limbs and medical equipment for patients.
The Zakat Campaign, launched by FOCP, which received a positive response from private and governmental entities and many individuals over the month of Ramadan, was guided by the directives of the Permanent Fatwa Committee in Sharjah. The directives identified two conditions under which zakat contributions could be extended to cancer patients when the patient is unable to cover treatment costs himself, and for it to be used to only cover treatment charges.
Highlighting the role of active community participation in ensuring the success of their initiatives, Sawsan Jafar, Chairperson of the FOCP board of Directors, noted, "Friends of Cancer Patients has been actively working in the UAE since 1999, and we have been blessed with the community’s support and charitable spirit. The impact of the Dubai Islamic Bank’s generous donation of AED1 million to our Zakat campaign, which was made according to the Islamic fatwa, will grow many times, helping us bring more cancer patients in the UAE under our care, covering their treatment, and offering them and their families much-needed support and relief."
Regarding the programme, Abdul Razaq Al Abdulla, Head of the Community Support Services Department, DIB, said, "Friends of Cancer Patients is one of the UAE’s most recognised charitable institutions, dedicated towards uplifting society by helping one of its segments that needs it most. We hope our donation will go a long way in bolstering the FOCP’s noble efforts in bringing hope, happiness and strength to the lives of those suffering from cancer, and their families. We look forward to growing our philanthropic relationship with the FOCP."
The FOCP launched the Zakat fund-raising campaign, "I Deserve a Life," during Ramadan to collect Zakat Al-Fitr funds for those who have difficulties paying for the high costs of cancer treatment in the UAE. The campaign helped in paying for the treatments of 768 patients from 2015-2017.
