Iraqi baby gets gene therapy as Dhs8m sought for Syrian girl

DUBAI: Iraqi baby Laveen Ibrahim received the injection for her rare disease spinal muscular atrophy at Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital in Dubai.

The hospital said, “Today, lovely baby Laveen received a successful gene treatment for SMA, from our experts at Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital. Our prayers for a speedy recovery for baby Laveen and all our children.

Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital in Dubai on Wednesday revealed that it received the world’s most expensive gene therapy that had been ordered for the Laveen Ibrahim.

The Sharjah Charity International (SCI) has joined a race against time to collect Dhs8 million to save Sabah, a Syrian girl, and provide for her medical treatment.

Sabah’s case is similar to that of the Iraqi girl Laveen, who received the world’s most expensive, ater His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, had funded her medical treatment at Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital. Both girls suffer from spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disease caused by a mutation in the motor neuron gene.

Sabah is suffering from the first type of spinal muscular atrophy disease, according to the medical report, which confirmed that the health condition of the girl who has not yet completed her second year, is very serious and there is an urgent need for her to receive proper medical treatment.

In the meantime, the girl’s parents were unable to give her anything other than heartbreaking tears.

In light of its humanitarian message based on the directives of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the SCI was resolved to adopt Sabah’s case, relying on the support of philanthropists.

As part of its approach and policy of bringing joy to the faces of the needy, wiping away their tears and relieving their pain, the SCI said donations could be received via SMS as well as SCI’S website, smart link, bank accounts and hotline.

“We call on philanthropists to fully support us to be able to provide for the medical treatment expenses of our girl Sabah, as her health condition is deteriorating and any delay in geting the necessary medical treatment means that her chances of survival are diminishing, according to the medical report,” said Abdullah Sultan Bin Khadim, Executive Director of SCI.

“The costs of treatment are very high and the cost is the largest in cases of medical assistance requests, but the SCI is determined to help Sabah recover from her illness, which accompanied her from birth, and bring joy to her parents,” he added.