{"id":40381,"date":"2026-01-03T04:59:56","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T04:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/?p=40381"},"modified":"2026-01-03T05:35:31","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T05:35:31","slug":"father-says-abu-dhabi-campaign-gave-his-daughter-a-second-chance-at-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/03\/father-says-abu-dhabi-campaign-gave-his-daughter-a-second-chance-at-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Father Says Abu Dhabi Campaign Gave His Daughter a Second Chance at Life"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Malya was only two months old when her father, Saeed Al-Junaibi, began to sense that something was not right. His baby daughter was experiencing tremors and was not meeting the usual developmental milestones for her age.<\/p>

Following multiple medical examinations, doctors confirmed the family\u2019s worst fear: Malya had spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare genetic disorder that weakens muscles over time and can be fatal without timely treatment. While a highly effective gene therapy, Zolgensma, was available, its extremely high cost placed it beyond the family\u2019s financial means.<\/p>

\u201cThe hardest part was knowing there was a treatment that could help her, but we simply could not afford it,\u201d Saeed said, describing the emotional toll as heartbreaking.<\/p>

Hope arrived when Malya was accepted into Abu Dhabi\u2019s Life Endowment campaign, a sustainable healthcare funding programme led by Awqaf Abu Dhabi in partnership with the Department of Health \u2013 Abu Dhabi. The initiative focuses on providing life-saving support to the emirate\u2019s most vulnerable and critically ill patients.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Until then, everything felt uncertain<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The Life Endowment campaign has now started distributing the first proceeds from its endowment investments, together with charitable contributions, to assist approximately 140 critical medical cases in its opening phase. Malya was among the children selected to receive support.<\/p>

Saeed described the moment they learned that the cost of Malya\u2019s treatment would be fully funded as unforgettable. \u201cIt was one of the most powerful and emotional experiences we have ever had,\u201d he said.<\/p>

Before that decision, the family lived with constant uncertainty. They understood the seriousness of the diagnosis and were aware that a treatment was available, yet the financial burden made it feel out of reach.<\/p>

Saeed recalls cradling his daughter while feeling the pressure of time. \u201cWhen we were informed that the support had been approved, it felt like help came just when we needed it most,\u201d he said. \u201cThere were tears of joy, but also tears of relief\u2014relief that we no longer had to wonder whether our daughter could be saved.\u201d<\/p>

Not long after, Malya was given the Zolgensma gene therapy, enabling doctors to proceed with a stable and uninterrupted care plan. \u201cFrom that point on,\u201d Saeed added, \u201cour entire focus was on her treatment and recovery.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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No longer in survival mode<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Before assistance was approved, the family\u2019s everyday life was overshadowed by anxiety, financial strain and an ongoing sense of uncertainty. Saeed said each day was marked by fear and constant concern about what lay ahead.<\/p>

Now, although Malya still needs regular medical check-ups and close observation, the emotional burden has significantly lifted. \u201cWe are no longer just trying to get through each day,\u201d he said. \u201cThe overwhelming fear that once controlled our lives has eased.\u201d<\/p>

Above all, the family is finally able to think beyond the present moment.<\/p>

\u201cThis support has transformed our outlook on the future,\u201d Saeed explained. \u201cWe can focus on her growth, her physical progress and the possibility of a healthier, fuller life. For a parent, being able to plan with hope instead of dreading what comes next is life-changing.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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A burden no parent should carry<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The Life Endowment approach marks a new way of financing healthcare assistance, turning donated funds into long-term, sustainable returns that can continue supporting patients well into the future. Under the supervision of the Department of Health, cases are carefully selected through a strict, evidence-based evaluation to ensure help reaches patients who require immediate treatment.<\/p>

For Saeed, the value of the programme extends far beyond monetary support.<\/p>

\u201cWhat my daughter received was not an act of charity,\u201d he said. \u201cShe was given the chance to receive life-saving care at a moment when any delay could have made a critical difference.\u201d<\/p>

He explained that the support allowed doctors to focus solely on medical necessity rather than cost. \u201cIt lifted a weight that no parent should ever be forced to carry on their own.\u201d<\/p>

Looking back, Saeed reflected on the wider meaning of the experience. \u201cFamily is at the heart of everything. When a child is supported, the whole family is supported,\u201d he said.<\/p>

Expressing his gratitude, he added: \u201cI am truly thankful, and I hope more initiatives like the Life Endowment campaign continue to stand by families facing serious health challenges, reminding them they are not facing these struggles alone.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Moment of Reassurance<\/h5>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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One particular moment during Malya\u2019s treatment has stayed with her father.<\/p>

\u201cWhen the doctors told us the gene therapy had been delivered successfully and that her body now had the ability to respond to the illness, everything changed,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>

Hearing the medical team speak with optimism about her condition brought a feeling the family had not experienced since the diagnosis \u2014 a sense of calm and confidence.<\/p>

Even the smallest indications of improvement have meant the world to them.<\/p>

\u201cAs a parent, you cling to every small sign,\u201d he said. \u201cKnowing she finally received the treatment she needed restored our hope and strengthened our faith in what the future could hold.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A father shares how an Abu Dhabi campaign transformed his family\u2019s future, explaining that the initiative went beyond charity and provided his daughter with a chance to survive and thrive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":40382,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[34],"post_template":[],"top_category":[],"class_list":["post-40381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uae","tag-dubai-buzz","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40381"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40381\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40391,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40381\/revisions\/40391"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40381"},{"taxonomy":"post_template","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_template?post=40381"},{"taxonomy":"top_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/top_category?post=40381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}