Get well soon Maria! our thoughts and prayers are with you

A few months ago Sheryl Mirza from Operation Hope introduced me to Mary Jane Brewster who told me about Maria.



Maria along with her children (now 17 yrs, 14 and 9) came to Kuwait about 6 years ago to accompany her husband who was working in a private company. Two years later the husband just took off. Maria was left alone with her children and without a job, her visa is through her husband. She had to home school her kids, her residency was over and all their passports. There was nothing she can do, they lived on help from their neighbours. She felt pain in her breast from a big lump about four years ago but because she had no residency she was scared to get it checked at a hospital fearing that they might find out she's illegal and she'd be taken away from her kids.



By the time Mary Jane and I found out about her, the cancer was so bad it ate through her skin causing gangrene.She didn't even know it was cancer, she was in so much pain and was still able to go to church, teach the kids and keep a smile on her face. We took her to Maki Juma' cancer center, the doctor said she has 2 weeks to live and said the cancer has spread to other parts of her body. He said if she's lucky she could live for two weeks.



With the help of the Philippine embassy we were able to get them passports within 2 days. She had 6,000 Kd fine for expired residency, which we were able to get the ministry of interior to drop due to her circumstance. They were so happy to go home and be with their family that they haven't seen in 6 years. The whole process took 3 days and Mary Jane dropped them at the airport. She says they were all smiles. Alhamdullah. It's been almost 3 months now and Maria has finished her Chemotherapy and is starting with her second chemotherapy. The kids have gone to school. And their bills are taken care of by an anonymous donor from Kuwait.





I write this to you because god forbid this situation ever happens again, we must allow ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY to have access to our hospitals even without residency, because people come before anything. After the patient is treated then hospital officials can call authorities.



There were 3 other situations this year, where the patients had to seek medical help and were refused because of residency issues. And these are the ones I know of, I'm sure there are many more.


I am posting the picture of the Maria's breast. This is what happens when you're not allowed medical help in Kuwait.

Also, we must all do regular breast examinations, girls in the 20's can get the cancer. Momograms and Sonograms are very important.








Warning: The picture below is VERY disturbing. Please do not show it to young children.