Protect The Fighters
Picture this: the immense satisfaction that comes from volunteering at a hospital for one hour of pure fun, with a patient who needs distraction from the tough battle that is cancer. That is exactly the idea that three 16-year old high school students from the American Community School of Abu Dhabi: Farah Al Mutawa, Fadila Farag, and Nour Ramzi came up with. They shared with Tempo the inspiring story about their special movement called ‘Protect the Fighters.’
Tempo: What is ‘Protect the Fighters’?
Farah: Protect the Fighters is a Community Service Club revolved around kids with cancer and how to make them happy and enjoy the good things in life, while they’re in treatment. Our base is at our school and students sign up to join the club and visit patients at the hospital to make the patients’ days happier.
Tempo: How did you set up this group?
Fadila: We established it in November of 2013, during our freshman year, and it was finalized by the hospital we’re working with on June 18, 2014. It was a long and rigorous process. We had many meetings with the hospital staff as well as our school advisors and officials, but it was all worth it. We started as a ‘service club’ at our school at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year.
A Protect the Fighters volunteer getting her interview done to be able to start volunteering at the hospital and making the days of patients brighter!
Tempo: How long have you been visiting patients?
Nour: We started in February of this year, and it’s been going great! Seeing the smiles on their faces was amazing. The reason it took so long was because the process of getting members certified at the hospital is a little lengthy, because of all the safety measures. And now, after that hard process, our members are enjoying their time with the ‘fighters’ – that’s what we call the patients.
Tempo: What are the activities you do?
Farah: Many of our projects were inspired by activities that were taking place at the Monroe Dunaway (MD) Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. But we also brainstorm new ideas with our club members during our weekly meetings. We would usually start with one or two ideas that are focused on the fighters’ needs, and then we would let the whole club share ideas accordingly, and then we’d use the process of elimination to decide on the next project.
We try to have a new theme every month. So for example, one month was focused on artwork, where we focused on enhancing the artistic side of the patients. Another month it was about music: where we brought in instruments and either played along with the patients, or we played for them. We come up with new ideas by looking at how the kids are reacting to different projects. For example, one time we saw that one patient loved playing with small action figures, and painting. So we ended up making a project where he would glue the figures onto cardboard and paint around it, and he loved it!
Tempo: What do your friends and families think about all of this?
Fadila: Well my friends and family always knew I’ve wanted to do something like this, so I guess they weren’t super surprised but they were super supportive and I think they’ll continue to be that way.
Farah: They didn’t really react actually- it was kind of sad. They were just like, “good for you habibty.” But they’re very supportive.
Nour: My family was very happy that I was starting something like this. They were also glad that I was starting it with my two best friends so they knew that all the work we put into it was genuine because they knew who Farah and Fadila are.
Tempo: Describe what your meetings are like, are they playful or structured?
Fadila: I don’t know, I feel like it’s both. We never really schedule meetings between the three of us, because we’re constantly with each other anyways. But how it usually goes down is we would go out either to a restaurant or to each other’s house, or even in the cafeteria at school, and just chill like we’re just hanging out. Then at some point we bring up something like a new idea, and we just talk from there. We never really say “okay, meeting at 5:30 on Wednesday.” It just kind of happens.
Tempo: Any other projects you’re working on?
Nour: We are currently working on a lip-syncing music video with a few of our fighters, so be on the lookout for that! We’re also planning something for September and November as there are many cancer awareness days in them.
Tempo: If one of your fighters was reading this, what would be your message?
Fadila: You’re just starting your life – never let anything hold you back. We hope you’re having a great day. Keep smiling.
Tempo: Finally, what’s your message to others who want to make a difference to their community?
Nour: Patience is key! It’s a very hard process, but in the end it’s all worth it, we promise. You’re going to keep facing challenges but you can overcome them, one footstep at a time! That’s how we got our slogan. “Making a difference, one footstep at a time.” You start of thinking you can go full speed and get everything done on your checklist in one go. But taking it step by step is how you can ensure a thriving initiative. Have patience and just know that everything you’re doing is going to amount to something special.
Connect:
Facebook (Protect the Fighters), Twitter (@ProtectFighters) and Instagram (protect_the_fighters)
