Health Section
Achievements
CHILDHOOD CANCER and INHERITED BLOOD DISEASES PROGRAM
This program, initiated in 2006, aims at offering free comprehensive care and awareness to children with cancer and inherited blood diseases all over the country. It also offers awareness and psycho-social support to affected children and their families. he program has had multiple achievements over the years.
1. Comprehensive Treatment of Children with Cancer and Inherited Blood Diseases
GNK Foundation health team offers free multidisciplinary comprehensive care to 1000 children with cancer and inherited blood disorders. All affected children receive free outpatient consultations, hospitalisations, medications, laboratory and imaging studies as well as psycho-social support to them and their families.
| Children Benefiting from GNK Childhood Cancer and Inherited Blood Diseases Program in 2019-20 | |
|---|---|
| Disease category | Number |
| Sickle Cell disease | 490 |
| Thalassemia | 50 |
| Bleeding disorders | 270 |
| Other inherited blood disorders |
140 |
| Cancer | 50 |
| Total N | 1000 |
2. National Collaborative Bone Marrow Transplant Program for Children with Thalassemia
GNK Foundation partnered with the Chronic Care Center, Lebanese Ministry of Public Health and al Waleed Bin Talal Foundation to cover the cost of bone marrow transplant for 10 children with Thalassemia. All 10 children have been cured of their disease.
This program initiated in 2016, continues to enroll more children in need of this life saving procedure.
3. Spreading National awareness about inherited blood diseases
Sickle cell disease awareness campaign “Know about it before it knows about you”
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder characterised by hemolytic anemia, recurrent severe pain crisis, organ failure and poor quality of life.
In 2012, GNK Foundation started an awareness campaign about sickle cell disease entitled “know about it before it knows about you” in Lebanese schools and universities and in areas of high disease prevalence. This campaign spread awareness about disease inheritance, symptoms and signs, treatment including disease modifying therapies and novel agents, prevention, and need and benefits of newborn screening and early detection.
In 2017, GNK foundation initiated an awareness campaign on congenital bleeding disorders amongst patients and their families and in areas of high disease prevalence.
4. Promoting Medical Research
Since 2008, GNK Foundation has been initiating and FUNDING multiple research projects in the field of inherited blood disorders of high prevalence in Lebanon.
1. NEWBORN SCREENING OF INHERITED HEMOGLOBIN DISORDERS: this national project was launched in collaboration with the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. Through this project, the sickle carrier and disease rates were determined through HPLC for the first time in the country and all affected newborns were enrolled in GNK comprehensive sickle cell disease program and their families were offered free genetic counseling.
2. COVID-19 INFECTIONS IN PATIENTS with SICKLE CELL DISEASE and PEOPLE with SICKLE CELL TRAIT: AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC OVERVIEW and EVAULATION of GENETIC VARIENTS CONTRIBUTING to PREDISPOSITION STUDY of SYMPTOMS:
This is a collaborative project with the School of Medicine at the Lebanese American University, Genetic Lab at Lebanese American University Medical Center-Rizk Hospital and Nini Hospital. Through this study, it is hoped that identification of protective or deleterious genetic variants towards SARS-CoV-2 infection and course of illness could help predict the disease burden and determine prognosis for people with SCD and people with SCT suffering from COVID-19.
3. MULTIPLE RESEARCH PROJECTS RELATED TO SICKLE CELL DISEASE BURDEN IN NORTH LEBANON have been and are still being initiated. These projects are being carried with the objective of nurturing early clinical research amongst medical students and junior Lebanese physicians and helping them understand sickle cell disease which is highly prevalent in North Lebanon.
5. Organising recreational activities
In an attempt at spreading hope amongst children with cancer and inherited blood diseases, GNK Foundation organises recreational activities for these children.
A 2 day camp including sportive, artistic and cultural activities is conducted yearly in a Lebanese resort.
Yearly Christmas, Ramadan, Fitr and Easter parties where children spend unforgettable times with celebrities and participate in recreational activities.
Road safety awareness activities offered by GNK Traffic Academy instructors.
Other recreational activities offered by friends of GNK.
6. Collaborations
GNK BEIRUT DISASTER RELIEF EFFORT in Collaboration with LEBANON OF TOMORROW
August 4, 2020: Beirut witnessed a most devastating explosion – the worst human catastrophe ever.
100s died
1000s injured
100.000s homeless
Beirut heavily impacted
GNK FOUNDATION initiated a HEALTH focused Collaboration with Lebanon of Tomorrow to provide those in need with FREE medical consults/medications, wound dressings, physiotherapy sessions, psycho-social support & milk for newborns, infants and children in Beirut.
Leading the health team, GNK Foundation has been relentless in serving on the ground people in need in every sector of Beirut.
GNK has offered so far:
1603 medications
375 Covid -19 kits
622 Milk tins for all ages
8802 kids’ diapers
1326 elderly diapers
Collaboration is the way to give and to achieve more.