ISLAMABAD: Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, the wife of the ruler of Sharjah and chairperson of the Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), has announced a Dhs4.4 million ($1.2 mln) grant for a cancer hospital in Peshawar, the embassy of the United Arab Emirates said in a statement on Tuesday.
The funds will be used to procure state-of-the-art medical equipment for surgical oncology services at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center (SKMCH&RC) in Peshawar, the capital of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Around 2,500 cancer patients will benefit from access to a wide range of high-quality surgical treatment options at two fully equipped operating rooms fitted out with financial assistance from the Ameera Fund,” the statement said, adding that the contribution aimed to enhance Shaukat Khanum’s overall capacity to offer specialized care to more patients and bring it one step closer to its goal of offering financial support to 75 percent patients.
“The collaboration follows Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher’s visit to Pakistan in February this year when she met with several humanitarian organizations including the SKMCH&RC in Lahore,” the statement said.
Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi during her visit to the SKMCH&RC in Lahore. (Photo courtesy: TheBigHeartUAE Twitter Account)
According to the UNHCR website, Jawaher was appointed as UNHCR’s first Eminent Advocate in May 2013. In this role, she helped to increase public awareness about refugees and the work of UNHCR, with a focus on children. Jawaher is a patron or president of a wide range of social and humanitarian organizations in Sharjah, as well as cultural, literary and religious councils, including the Swiss-based Islamic Cultural Institute.
She has received numerous awards and accolades for her social, humanitarian and development work, including the United Arab Emirates Businesswomen Award and the First Arab Lady Award.
