Eman, Egypt

I am Eman, and I work as the Head of Medical Contracting Department at Baheya Foundation.

All my life, I have loved volunteering for charitable organizations and orphanages, always searching for ways to give back. After graduating, I initially worked for a medical devices company. However, the moment I had the opportunity to work for a non-profit organization, I took it immediately; I felt that was where my time and effort truly belonged.

Before joining Baheya, I used to think cancer was a contagious disease, and I thought it was rare. I had no real awareness or understanding of the illness. Over time, I was shocked by the sheer number of people affected by it. Through my work at Baheya, I attended many awareness sessions that corrected the many misconceptions I held before joining the foundation.

In time, I became the one spreading awareness within all my social circles—among my friends and family. I even started talking to people on public transportation about the disease and the vital importance of early detection and regular check-ups.

My siblings also began listening to me and spreading this awareness in their places of study and work. I felt it was a mission I had to fulfill: to spread awareness in society to reduce the incidence of the disease and catch it early before it progresses and becomes difficult to treat. Many of my relatives and acquaintances actually came in for early screenings because of our conversations, and some did discover tumors, but thankfully, at early stages that were easy to treat.

Before working in this field, I was a sensitive person who cried very easily. But over time, through constant interaction with cancer patients, I became much stronger. I began to see that health is the greatest blessing God grants us. I no longer saw myself as just a department head; I became a supporter for the patients, trying to ease their pain and reassure them.

The strange thing is that I started drawing my own strength from them. I felt their immense will and faith in God despite all the physical and psychological devastation they were enduring. I began participating in trips and events with the fighters to talk to and support them, forming personal bonds that turned many of them into my friends.

Working closely with cancer patients has made me more empathetic toward people's pain. It changed my entire outlook on the illness: I realized that we must treat the patient, not just the disease.