Israel's "Final Solution" for Palestinians: Cancer increases by considerable percentage in Gaza

[MikeWB]

Cancer increases by considerable percentage in Gaza Strip
TUESDAY, 16 MARCH 2010 14:07    ADDED BY PT EDITOR MAYSAA JAROUR  

Gaza, March 16, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - He plays with his small bicycle in the corridors of the hospital with his four cousins, who have the same age and name.

Ahmed Dardouna, 6 years old and resident of the Jabalya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, is spending his fourth day in the hospital. He suffers from cancer of the blood and lymph nodes, as well as a hole in the heart.

His suffering started a few months ago, when his blood volume dropped from 12 to 6 or 7 units. When Ahmed's blood volume plummeted more than five times in one month, doctors told his mother that he might be suffering from malnutrition.

However, when his mother, Samira Dardouna, was helping him put on his school uniform one day, she laid her hand on his stomach and found it to be hard. She says: "I went immediately to Al-Shifa Hospital, where medical doctors told me that a blood analysis was needed at Al-Nasser Children's Hospital." The doctors at Al-Nasser informed her that Ahmed suffers from cancer of the blood and lymph nodes.

In an exclusive statement to the Palestine Telegraph, Dr. Mohammed Abu Shaban, director of the Blood Tumors Department in Al-Rantisy Hospital in Gaza, said that in the last year, the number of blood cancers diagnosed at the hospital receives - from 20 to 25 cases a year, but this year it received 55 cases.

Mohammed Abu Kmail, 10 years, is in worse condition than Ahmed. He has been suffering from brain cancer for more than a year. He was treated in June 2009, and his health improved, but he returned to the hospital two months ago.

Awad Alhalol, the doctor who supervises Mohammed's care, said that a new examination shows his cancer has now spread to the bone.

Four years ago, his sister Fida died of the same disease. His mother, Fatima, is afraid she will lose Mohammed as she lost her daughter. As she talked, Fatima Abu Kmail sat on the bed next to Mohammed, praying to Allah to save her son.

"I dream to be a doctor so I can treat the children who suffer from cancer," Mohammed said. When his doctor entered the room he screamed at him, saying: "Why did you lie? You told me that the blood analysis is the last thing I have to do, then I will go back to the house, so why I am here till now? Am I going to die?"

Dr. Alhalol told the Palestine Telegraph that Mohammed has taken all of the available medicine and needs an operation in Israel, since this type of treatment is not possible in Gaza. The doctor said: "I have followed the procedures to transfer both Mohammed and Ahmed to Israel, but it has not agreed to coordinate the transfer. Their condition is very serious; any delayed could kill them, without any doubt."

By PT reporter: Eman Jomaa