Umniah Alzahery, a Saudi national, was at the peak of her corporate career when she was diagnosed with Leukaemia – blood cancer that normally begins in the bone marrow.
Then head of HR at a top Saudi investment firm, she feared her life as a high-powered businesswoman was over.
"I'll never forget the night that changed everything," she told The National.
“I was at dinner with my in-laws and I began to feel tired and thought it was my allergies, but when I went to get checked at a hospital they gave me the news,” she said.
"I was healthy, at the peak of my corporate career and had just got married. This came out of nowhere."
When she was first admitted to the Princess Noura Oncology Centre at King Abdul Aziz Medical City in Jeddah, the doctors said the cancer was so prevalent in her bloodstream she might only have a few weeks left to live.
Her treatment at the hospital was highly effective, she said.
“It was a miracle how fast and aggressive the doctors killed the disease, because when I went to the US I was already in the first remission.”
Umniah was transferred to Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, for further treatment just as the Covid-19 pandemic was starting to spread like wildfire across the country.
Not only was she in danger from her cancer, but she was also now immunocompromised and at a heightened risk of Covid-19.
While in the US, Umniah waited almost six months for a suitable bone marrow donor due to a lack of people registered.
Eventually, after an unsuccessful transplant, Umniah still overcame Leukaemia.
Back to health and back in Jeddah, she dreamed of returning to the business world she had been forced to leave behind.
Then inspiration came from her friends.
Umniah recalled hosting “Taco Tuesdays” for her friends, who would always encourage her to open her own restaurant.
I've always enjoyed having guests over and love cooking and sharing the joy with others," she said.
Although she had no professional training as a chef, Umniah could see an opportunity and her food truck business – Tacomelon Avenue – was born, making its debut at Jeddah’s Formula 1 race in 2021, before heading on to the massive XP music event in the capital, Riyadh.
The food truck was a hit with locals and tourists alike and rave reviews had people queuing up for hours to get a taste of Umniah’s tacos.
Despite her achievements, Umniah’s battle with Leukaemia – coupled with being separated from her family and friends by the pandemic – took its toll.
She said the experience of overcoming the disease changed her outlook on life.
"From losing my hair to people so close to me, the diagnosis took a toll on my entire being. I found myself in a place where I desperately wanted to talk to survivors, anyone who had experienced this and could give me hope. I found none. I stopped watching movies because everyone who died was a victim of cancer," she said.
"I realised people don't know how to deal with cancer patients. They either don't know what to say, they get uneasy and find it easier to stay away than approach someone dealing with a life-threatening disease," she said.
"Leukaemia put everything into perspective for me, my relationship with the world, close friends, family, material things, and of course God. I remember looking at my bank account and thinking what good is this money when I can't even get up and go to the bathroom by myself … it was a lot to take in, live with and think about."
She said her faith in God was what helped the most: “That's where I found my peace, solace, and hope.”
When she had finally beaten the disease, Uminah was determined to change the narrative around cancer survivors and give people a chance to hear her story.
She said she believed it was important for people in Saudi Arabia to “know that one can fight and overcome” a deadly disease like Leukaemia.
Families, she said, have a big role to play in helping people overcome serious illness.
"It is important for family and friends to engage with those suffering in a sensitive way and not feel uncomfortable with it," she said, adding that more awareness needs to be created in society.
Umniah is planning a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of becoming a registered bone marrow donor.
“An anonymous bone marrow donor was integral to my treatment and helped save my life and gave me the chance to be where I am today,” she said.
“We never knew the importance of registering as donors until we were directly affected. Being added to a global database is done via a cheek swab, so it's very easy and just a few seconds could save the life of a stranger.”
For Umniah, her newfound activism and business go hand in hand.
“My plans for the future are to keep fighting and to make more tacos,” she said.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
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Price: From Dh590,000
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
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Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
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Cutting red tape on import and export of food
The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
Amitav Ghosh, University of Chicago Press
Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines
Jonathan Miller, Scribe Publications
MATCH INFO
World Cup 2022 qualifier
UAE v Indonesia, Thursday, 8pm
Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
SQUAD
Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammed Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Saeed Ahmed, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Muhammed Jumah, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
How Tesla’s price correction has hit fund managers
Investing in disruptive technology can be a bumpy ride, as investors in Tesla were reminded on Friday, when its stock dropped 7.5 per cent in early trading to $575.
It recovered slightly but still ended the week 15 per cent lower and is down a third from its all-time high of $883 on January 26. The electric car maker’s market cap fell from $834 billion to about $567bn in that time, a drop of an astonishing $267bn, and a blow for those who bought Tesla stock late.
The collapse also hit fund managers that have gone big on Tesla, notably the UK-based Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust and Cathie Wood’s ARK Innovation ETF.
Tesla is the top holding in both funds, making up a hefty 10 per cent of total assets under management. Both funds have fallen by a quarter in the past month.
Matt Weller, global head of market research at GAIN Capital, recently warned that Tesla founder Elon Musk had “flown a bit too close to the sun”, after getting carried away by investing $1.5bn of the company’s money in Bitcoin.
He also predicted Tesla’s sales could struggle as traditional auto manufacturers ramp up electric car production, destroying its first mover advantage.
AJ Bell’s Russ Mould warns that many investors buy tech stocks when earnings forecasts are rising, almost regardless of valuation. “When it works, it really works. But when it goes wrong, elevated valuations leave little or no downside protection.”
A Tesla correction was probably baked in after last year’s astonishing share price surge, and many investors will see this as an opportunity to load up at a reduced price.
Dramatic swings are to be expected when investing in disruptive technology, as Ms Wood at ARK makes clear.
Every week, she sends subscribers a commentary listing “stocks in our strategies that have appreciated or dropped more than 15 per cent in a day” during the week.
Her latest commentary, issued on Friday, showed seven stocks displaying extreme volatility, led by ExOne, a leader in binder jetting 3D printing technology. It jumped 24 per cent, boosted by news that fellow 3D printing specialist Stratasys had beaten fourth-quarter revenues and earnings expectations, seen as good news for the sector.
By contrast, computational drug and material discovery company Schrödinger fell 27 per cent after quarterly and full-year results showed its core software sales and drug development pipeline slowing.
Despite that setback, Ms Wood remains positive, arguing that its “medicinal chemistry platform offers a powerful and unique view into chemical space”.
In her weekly video view, she remains bullish, stating that: “We are on the right side of change, and disruptive innovation is going to deliver exponential growth trajectories for many of our companies, in fact, most of them.”
Ms Wood remains committed to Tesla as she expects global electric car sales to compound at an average annual rate of 82 per cent for the next five years.
She said these are so “enormous that some people find them unbelievable”, and argues that this scepticism, especially among institutional investors, “festers” and creates a great opportunity for ARK.
Only you can decide whether you are a believer or a festering sceptic. If it’s the former, then buckle up.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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More on Quran memorisation:
The specs: 2018 Genesis G70
Price, base / as tested: Dh155,000 / Dh205,000
Engine: 3.3-litre, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 370hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 510Nm @ 1,300rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.6L / 100km
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
