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June, 2008
Majeda Qasem is a sixteen-month old baby who has a rare muscle disease
called nemaline myopathy. She is totally dependent on a ventilator for
breathing and is fed directly to her stomach via a gastronomy tube since
her muscles are too weak to enable her to independently swallow. She
was born in the West Bank Palestinian town of Tulkarem and has been
in the local al-Zakat Hospital for the past fourteen months of her life.
She also spent two months in an Israeli hospital, where she was diagnosed
and intubated. This hospital in Tulkarem has the only pediatric ventilator
available in the area and has enabled Majeda to receive treatment despite
the fact that her family cannot pay for it. The hospital does not have
a pediatric ICU, and Majeda was recently moved to the adult Intensive
Care Unit of the hospital, clearly not appropriate either for her age
or for her condition.
Although the hospital staff are sympathetic to her condition, they say
that they will not be able to fund her hospital stay much longer. However,
unless she is connected to a respirator twenty-four hours a day, Majeda
cannot survive.
It doesn't have to be like this. If Majeda had a ventilator, she could
go home. The cost for two vents (one as a backup) cost around $14,000
plus extra equipment needed. She will need intensive treatments for
the rest of her life, such as physiotherapy and feeding therapy and
her parents will need guidance in how to take care of her at home -
but it IS possible.
As you can see from the photos, Majeda's a beautiful, alert little baby
who deserves more than to be lying on her back in a hospital bed.
Time is running out. Please help us to purchase a ventilator for Majeda
and to ensure she gets appropriate physiotherapy. With the right kind
of care, Majeda can improve.
TheMajedaFund@gmail.com
Donations to:
The Majeda Fund
POB 188
Srigim 99835
Israel.
You can wire transfer directly to:
Hapoalim Bank
Commercial Center
Beit Shemesh
POB 66
Israel
Branch: 692
Account: 614885
SWIFT : POALILIT126920614885
IBAN: IL74-0126-9200-0000-0614-885
Name: The Majeda Fund
US residents can make a tax deductible credit card donation via
www.buildingstrength.org
set up by A Foundation Building Strength.
Click on GET INVOLVED NOW, select SPONSOR A PARTICIPANT, type in Majeda's
name and continue. You will be prompted to follow the steps to make
a contribution.
Please send this to family and friends in order to get Majeda home.
UK residents who use online banking can make a transfer payment for
free through the NM Support Group. Please email davidmcd_@hotmail.com
to indicate your donation is for The Majeda Fund and the sum will be
transferred at no extra charge.
NM Support Group
Bank of Scotland
Branch: 80-09-39
Acct.06001056
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November 6, 2008
To everyone who donated, sent messages, encouraged and helped get this
equipment to Majeda, a huge thank you!
With your help, Majeda now has two respirators, an oxygen concentrator,
a pulse oximeter and suction.
This would never have happened without you. Majeda's mother and father
are so grateful to this group and want you all to know how important it
is to for them be able to begin the process of getting Majeda home, where
she belongs.
Special, special thanks to Emmett Fuerst who made a huge effort to raise
money for Majeda, to Marc Guillet for being instrumental in raising money,
and, of course, to Dave, who set up the web page for Majeda and helped
push this through from the beginning.
Majeda is the real star - she can smile and wave her hands and, as you
can see from the photos, is a sweetheart.
Joanna |
