Inside a worn out tent. . A mother lost her only son and is battling the disease without treatment
Written & Verified by: 4Relief Field Editorial Team
Registered Independent NGO | Verified Field Report
The story of Warda Abu Saraya embodies the suffering of displaced patients in the Gaza Strip. The impact of war is not limited to the loss of loved ones and homes, but also deprives patients of their right to treatment and makes the simplest means of movement and medical care difficult to access.
Warda Abu Saraya, 51 years old, is no longer able to walk. Since she lost her only son, Ahmed (20 years old), during the war, her health condition has gradually begun to deteriorate, until today she is bedridden inside a worn-out tent west of Gaza City, after having been displaced several times from her home in Jabalia.
Warda says that repeated displacement caused her to lose everything she owned, while the diseases became more severe day after day. She suffers from a herniated disc and a stroke in her left leg, in addition to diabetes and high blood pressure, and she is no longer able to walk or fulfill her needs without assistance.
She confirms that the martyrdom of her only son represented a turning point in her life: “After the martyrdom of Ahmed, my health, psychological and financial condition worsened. I was able to walk with difficulty, but today I have completely lost the ability to walk.”
Despite her urgent need for treatment, financial resources are an obstacle to her obtaining medical care. She has stopped taking blood clot medication for more than a week because she was unable to buy it, and she is also unable to perform the medical tests required by doctors or visit hospitals on a regular basis.
She added: "They asked me to take a CT scan, but it is only available in Deir al-Balah and I cannot reach it. I do not have the money for transportation, and I do not even have a wheelchair to help me move."
Today, Warda lives in a tent that is barely suitable for living, and she suffers from constant pain that prevents her from sleeping, while the summer heat increases her health suffering. She sadly recalls that she spent the anniversary of her son’s martyrdom in the hospital, after suffering health complications as a result of her deteriorating condition.
Warda is asking for nothing more than an opportunity to be treated and regain her ability to walk. She needs a wheelchair, a more suitable tent, a bed and mattress, and some basic household supplies after she lost most of her belongings during repeated waves of displacement.
Umm Ahmed concludes, saying: “I hope to be treated and able to walk again. This is all I hope for.”