Friends of Cancer Patients Launches Zakat Appeal To Fund Treatment for Underprivileged

Friends of Cancer Patients (FoCP) is preparing for its annual ‘I Deserve a Life’ Zakat Ramadan Campaign to support cancer patients who cannot afford treatment. Over the last three years, the donations reached a total of over AED 4 million.

Over the month of Ramadan, FOCP is joining hands with private and governmental entities and individuals in order to encourage them to contribute their zakat towards the costs of a cancer patients treatment under the directives of the Permanent Fatwa Committee in Sharjah which falls under two conditions, that the patient is unable to pay the costs themselves and that the fund is used to cover treatment charges only.

Since 2015, the ‘I Deserve a Life Campaign’ by FOCP, has supported 766 patients with aid worth AED 4,045,831.

HE Sawsan Jafar, Chairperson of FOCP Board of Directors, said: “The Holy Month of Ramadan provides us all with a special opportunity to show our compassion and care, and through these zakat donations, everybody can contribute to a cause where we are saving – and potentially changing – the lives of those who are suffering from cancer.

“The campaign title ’I Deserve a Life’ sums up perfectly the philosophy that everyone amongst us has a  right to live and to have access to medical treatment.. And through this initiative, many thousands of people have helped hundreds of others to a new beginning of hope, health and dignity.”

The donations will be used to cover costs of vital treatment such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and cover the expense of care from the early stages of cancer to surgical procedures, and even the provision of prosthetic limbs and medical equipment.

Donations to ‘I Deserve a Life’ can be made through a number of channels including online, bank transfers, cheques, coupons and SMS. The donation options for coupons are AED 10, AED 50 and AED100. You can donate using coupons by visiting the Zakat kiosks that will be located at Sharjah Cooperative Society’s branches in Al Sewihat, Halwan and Al Qarayen where the campaign’s teams will be present from 9:00 am – 01:00 am throughout the holy month.

For SMS donations, contributions can be made in sums of AED 10, AED 100 and AED 500, send the word ‘Zakat’ to 4425 (Etisalat or Du) to donate AED 10, Zakat’ to 2307 (Etisalat or Du) to donate AED 100, or ‘Zakat’ to 2308 (Etisalat or Du) to donate AED 500.

Money also can be deposited directly into FoCP’s ‘Zakatkm Elajohm’ bank account at the main branch of Sharjah Islamic Bank: 0011-364854-002 (International Bank Account Number ‘IBAN’: AE440410000011364854002).