The National Program for Organ Transplantation continues to change lives in the UAE. Getty
The National Program for Organ Transplantation continues to change lives in the UAE. Getty
The National Program for Organ Transplantation continues to change lives in the UAE. Getty
The National Program for Organ Transplantation continues to change lives in the UAE. Getty

Dubai woman makes donor appeal after son's life-saving transplant surgery


Nick Webster
  • English
  • Arabic

An anonymous kidney donor saved the life of an Emirati teenager in Dubai, whose mother had already donated one of hers to the boy's sister.

Eissa Abdul Malik, 15, suffered kidney failure in 2019 and was immediately placed on the transplant list.

His mother, Maryam, could not donate a kidney as she had already provided one for Eissa's 24-year-old sister.

Eissa was left to wait almost a year for a life-saving replacement. A suitable organ was found and, in October, doctors at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi performed the four-hour transplant surgery.

The teenager is now almost fully recovered and is looking forward to hitting the basketball court with friends.

I want people to know that donating organs is an amazing thing to do, especially a kidney, as you can live normally with just one

“All of my children, three boys and a girl, suffer from kidney issues,” said Maryam, who encouraged others to join the UAE organ transplant registry.

“Each one started experiencing health problems at a different age.

“I had already donated a kidney to my daughter and none of my family members were in a position to donate to Eissa due to health reasons.”

Before receiving the kidney, Eissa had to undergo dialysis, a treatment that helps perform the functions of a healthy kidney, such as removing waste, salt and excess water.

But the situation became dire when his heart began to fail.

“When we first saw Eissa, he was in good shape. But when he started the dialysis his heart function began deteriorating rapidly,” said Dr Bashir Sankari, chairman of CCAD’s surgical subspecialties institute.

“Unfortunately, some children do not take to this treatment well and that is why a kidney transplant is life-saving.

“We are fortunate that a donor was found on time and this young boy has been given a second chance in life.”

Patients with end-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis are at an increased risk of heart failure.

Several factors, such as fluid overload, diastolic dysfunction, arterial stiffness and valvular heart disease often contribute to the problem.

Doctors said Eissa's heart condition was worsening quickly and any delays to his surgery would have put him at real risk of complete cardiac failure and in need for a heart transplant.

He is now recovering at home, with ongoing monitoring by the hospital’s specialist transplant teams.

Maryam hopes the experience will help change the public’s perception towards organ donation, as one of her two other sons is also in need of a transplant soon.

“I urge people to register as donors in the UAE’s transplant programme,” she said.

“I have done so myself as I feel strongly about it.

“I want people to know that donating organs is an amazing thing to do, especially a kidney, as you can live normally with just one.

“It hurts to see your children waste their life in hospitals.

“This gift by an anonymous donor has saved my son’s life," she said.

“I will be eternally grateful.

"Now my older son is in need of a kidney and I’m hopeful that we will receive one soon.”

People can register as organ donors through the National Program for Organ Transplantation.

Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier

Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman

The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August

 

Group A

Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar

 

Group B

UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia

'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'

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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 

Company name: Play:Date

Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day

Founder: Shamim Kassibawi

Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US

Sector: Tech 

Size: 20 employees

Stage of funding: Seed

Investors: Three founders (two silent co-founders) and one venture capital fund

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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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UAE v Gibraltar

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Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

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Norway

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Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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Our legal advisor

Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.

Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation. 

Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES

SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities

Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails

Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies

Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments

BULKWHIZ PROFILE

Date started: February 2017

Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce 

Size: 50 employees

Funding: approximately $6m

Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait

hall of shame

SUNDERLAND 2002-03

No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.

SUNDERLAND 2005-06

Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.

HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19

Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.

ASTON VILLA 2015-16

Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.

FULHAM 2018-19

Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.

LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.

BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66

UAE - India ties

The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner after the US and China

Annual bilateral trade between India and the UAE has crossed US$ 60 billion

The UAE is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil for India

Indians comprise the largest community with 3.3 million residents in the UAE

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first visited the UAE in August 2015

His visit on August 23-24 will be the third in four years

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited India in February 2016

Sheikh Mohamed was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2017

Modi will visit Bahrain on August 24-25

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