Aliaa, Egypt

I'm Aliaa, a girl who works in a hospital that specializes in cancer treatment. The story begins when I was five years old and learnt that my uncle had been diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. I noticed how he suffered from the disease because it was in its late stages, and I was terrified when he passed away because I was too young to understand anything, but I loved him and didn't want things to turn out that way. From that point on, I was traumatized by that disease and couldn't hear the name ‘cancer’ because I knew that anyone who was diagnosed with cancer would die because of my uncle's story.

The years went by until I was 14, at which point I realized that my aunt had undergone a lot of changes, and all of a sudden, she was going to have surgery. She didn't tell me the truth before the surgery because I was too young and she didn't want me to be upset, but after the surgery, I was shocked to learn that it was a mastectomy, and I broke down a lot because I didn't want to lose her. She was my best friend and my second mom, and I couldn't even imagine my life without her. 

I tried my best to reassure her that she would be okay and that she was beautiful no matter what. I accompanied her to her doctor's appointments to learn more about cancer and how to help her get better. I gave her hope, and she gave me the strength to do so. When she finally finished her treatment, I was thrilled, and I thought we could fight cancer together. She was strong enough to face cancer, and she was completely satisfied with everything, even though she was in great pain. She kept saying, "Allah will never leave me alone."

My story began when my mother went to Baheya Foundation to do an early detection, and she saw volunteers there who helped her in the hospital. She asked me why I hadn't volunteered to help cancer patients. I told her that I had already been looking for a non-profit organization to volunteer with and that I had seen Baheya's advertisements on TV, so I filled out the volunteering form and went for an interview.

I was having a social anxiety and this is what makes me a bit nervous when talking to people and chatting with them, but I took a step forward and told myself I’m doing this for my uncle and my aunt. The only thing that inspires empathy and reminds me of my uncle is my desire to help others and make a positive difference. I got attached to this place day after day. I volunteered despite having college finals because I learnt how to manage my life because Baheya comes first. I spent a lot of time in hospitals supporting people and hearing their stories; they gave me hope and love.

Volunteering can be a valuable experience that fosters personal growth and helps individuals develop empathy and compassion. I felt like I finally had something to do, something that had great value, and I knew that this was the place I wanted to be a part of. I pictured myself working here, helping patients and volunteers, and year after year I learnt how to lead the new volunteers and give them the best experience

I was lucky to have a lovely manager who accepted me to join her team and be in charge of training new volunteers and providing the best opportunities for volunteers. After I graduated, I joined the psychological support & volunteering team as an intern. This time shaped my experience, and I eventually decided to work here. A year has passed since I started working at Baheya, and it has been a year filled with amazing experiences and significant achievements. One of Baheya's key values is volunteering since it inspires people to feel empathetic, content, and driven to work harder to serve others without receiving anything in return.

For me, this year shaped my experience in Baheya , it was the most impactful year that has changed my whole perspective on everything as well as changing who I’m as a person