Last week, members of the CIDO board and community members hosted the Canadian Representative to the Palestinian Authority, David Da Silva, for lunch and a conversation about Canada’s role in Palestine. Mr. Da Silva discussed the current challenges and especially the urgent need for immediate humanitarian aid to reach Gaza. CIDO is proud to have worked with Mr. Da Silva over the length of his assignment in Ramallah, and we thank him for his tireless advocacy and support for the Palestinian people. CIDO looks forward to continuing our relationship with the new Canadian representative, Mr. Graham Dattels.
The increased need for humanitarian aid is why CIDO has partnered with the Mariam Foundation to establish an urgent Gaza relief Fund. The Mariam Foundation is the official representative of Palestinian cancer patients in hospitals and healthcare services in Gaza. It provides the support that patients and their families require to overcome cancer. The Mariam Foundation offers financial and emotional support, daily companions for children in hospitals when their parents cannot be with them and covers cancer treatment expenses. Together, we hope to raise $100,000 to bring treatment and care to Palestinians with cancer in the only such treatment facility in Gaza.
According to the Mariam Foundation, there are over 10,000 adults and 750 children with cancer in Gaza and currently, many of these patients have lost access to medical care and treatment. The Mariam Foundation is working with the remaining healthcare facilities in Gaza to provide treatment and support for cancer patients. We are proud to partner with the Mariam Foundation to provide lifesaving aid to Gazans suffering from cancer. Lifesaving treatment was difficult in the past. And now, it is virtually impossible. With your help, we will change this.