NAHED NEEDS
LIFE-SAVING
CARE

DISPLACED, SICK, AND FIGHTING TO SURVIVE

"My name is Nahed Mohammed Assaf. I am from Jabalia Al-Balad in northern Gaza."

Our journey of suffering took us through many places before we finally arrived here. I once owned an apartment building with five homes for my children. We lived comfortably and happily, even with very little. Then it was demolished. Life there was completely different from what we face now. Today, the situation is beyond words.

I live with serious health conditions. I suffer from a herniated disc, I have undergone open-heart surgery, and I am now in my second year of kidney dialysis. Every month, I need a blood transfusion, yet many treatments and medications are unavailable in the hospital. My haemoglobin levels are dangerously low, and I struggle to breathe or walk because of my condition.

During displacement, receiving dialysis has been extremely difficult. Transportation is scarce, and we often had no money to reach the hospital. My son stayed by my side, pushing me in a wheelchair to find transport and helping me attend treatments. He was our only provider, caring for me through every hardship.

We now live surrounded by sewage, garbage, and unsafe conditions. I am forced to cook over open fire despite my weak chest and breathing difficulties. The smoke exhausts me, and the cold nights and lack of proper sanitation make my condition worse. Even basic facilities, like a clean bathroom, are missing.

Day and night, I think about my home and wonder how we reached this point. What is our fault? What is the children’s fault to live displaced like this? I ask donors to remember patients, especially those receiving dialysis. We lack medication, treatment, and the essentials needed to survive.

I am only one of hundreds of kidney patients facing these conditions. We are exhausted, physically and financially. I hope for compassion, for treatment, and for the chance to live with dignity again.