Gaza Strip Update: Situation Disheartening

According to Reuters News Services, Obama has said that he will make peace in the Middle East a priority. The report stated that, "In Washington, U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said in broadcast remarks he would begin the search for Middle East peace immediately on becoming president and the Gaza conflict underscored his determination to become involved early."

Mr. S., writing from inside the Gaza Strip, said, "I hope to God to help correct [cystic] fibrosis patients because I am in contact with [cystic] fibrosis patients who now live in a real tragedy..." We, no matter who we support (if anyone) in this conflict, most assuredly hope for the same thing, for it affects us as well, even if not on these terms.

In Israel, Mr. Shapiro, the founder of Concerned Friends of Cystic Fibrosis and a father of a CFer, told me that he has been contacted by "A social worker in a hospital near Tel Aviv, asking [him] for assistance in relocating some CF families from areas that are being targeted with missiles."

So we can hope that President-Elect Obama can work with the regional leadership in the Middle East to end the current conflict in the Gaza Strip and stop the rockets. He has his work cut out for him. I will be doing a more in-depth post on my hopes for the Obama administration next week, but that's enough for now.

Gaza Strip Update: Situation Worse

Mr. S. wrote me an update last night. In his words, "Now we can't supply them (his two CF sons) their medications regularly every day since the beginning of the war . Because of that I had reduced the amount and the dose of medications to our children in attempt to provide them medications for the longest period."

When in war, people have to ration. In America, we haven't had to do that since WWII, but this is a fact of life in many conflicts. Mr. S. is having to do this regularly since the war erupted a few weeks back. Not only food, which is in very short supply, but also medicines. That means instead of giving our daughter three enzyme pills before each meal, my wife and I might give her two or even one.

Another side effect of the current battle is loss of sleep, which can wreak havoc on weakened bodies. From Mr. S. "At night , I collect all my family members and we set in the hall of the home to avoid any injury..." Also, "We spent long hours in dark with out electricity and water. We set waiting the day , the morning the sun rise ."

Mr. S. has tried locating other CF families in Gaza, but has had trouble doing so. Some of those he has been able to account for have lost homes and are now living in refugee camps. With electricity intermittent, it is almost impossible even to run nebulizers consistently. Those in the CF community are knowledgeable of what this machine does and how vital the nebulizer is for CF health.

The United States has backed a proposal from Egypt (cosponsored by France) to grant at least a temporary halt to hostilities. This is good news for the people with CF in the Gaza Strip. Without US backing, few peace plans will appeal to both sides of the conflict. According to Reuters, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated, "We believe a ceasefire is necessary," adding she was pressing Israel to move forward with an Egyptian proposal backed by Europeans.

As I said in the beginning of this series on Gaza, I won't present a particular political side. These are the facts from CF-affected families in the Gaza Strip. I am now in contact with an individual in Israel who works with the CF families there, and I hope to have a detailed report for you from the other side of the conflict in the next few days.

Gaza Strip Update: Situation Desperate

I just exchanged emails with Mr. S. in the Gaza strip again last night and found out some disturbing news. There is no electricity or water where he lives, but they are afraid to leave the house unless the CF patients are very sick because of the war. There is a hospital nearby, but they are afraid even to venture that far and many of the CF patients are spread out over the country.
As the Israeli campaign enters a new stage (ground war), I am concerned for the lives of our CF friends over there. War is not pretty, and now that I understand this disease a little better, I can see how it would be affected by a long campaign in the Gaza Strip. We need a quick resolution to this fight.

I don't pretend to think I can stop the Israeli campaign, or the Hamas rockets. I'm just airing my feelings for a few minutes and then I'll get back to writing about awareness, fundraising, and hope. That last word is tough for me to type regarding Gaza.

I don't want to guilt anyone. I know most of us are either working on our own fundraising programs or paying for our own medical expenses, but a web page has been set up to raise money for Gaza at this link. Please, even if you can't give to this, send it to your friends and family. Perhaps they can give a little.

We're going to donate our second recycling run to the Gaza patients.

To read more about my conversations with Mr. S, click on the Gaza archive link.

Here again is the CFWW fundraising page: http://www.firstgiving.com/cfw

Dan

Status of CF Patients in Gaza Strip

According to the Manager for CF Palestine, all 53 cystic fibrosis patients are alive, though it might be difficult to call them "well". As the sixth day of Israeli and Hamas attacks closes, none of the CF patients in Gaza have been killed due to bombings, and there are no known deaths of Israeli CF patients in Israel from Hamas rocket attacks.

While the fact that no deaths have occurred due to the bombing campaign, the latest crisis in the Gaza Strip highlights a very tragic situation. Patients in the Gaza Strip are complaining of "frequent coughing, dehydration, huge appetite but poor weight and growth," according to Mr. S. (full name withheld), the Manager of Cystic Fibrosis Palestine.

CF Palestine is severely lacking in basic drugs and supplements that cystic fibrosis patients in the developed world, by and large, find easily accessible. Enzyme supplements, such as Creon 10 and 25, which would support weight gain, are virtually non-existent. Augmentin, a form of penicillin would treat the majority of chronic coughing in patients but is also in very short supply. Other items which would support better health for CF patients in the Gaza Strip are also unavailable: Nebulizers (for airway clearance), anti-inflammatory drugs, and decent milk (a fatty supply of good minerals for growth).

It is impossible to know at this time whether the proposed 48-hour cease fire, which Israel has currently dismissed, would allow any of the necessary drugs into Gaza or whether the doctors in charge of medical care in Gaza would be able to distribute the medications to such a limited number of patients.

Plan for Cystic Fibrosis Palestine

Cystic Fibrosis World-Wide (CFWW) recently accepted Cystic Fibrosis Palestine as a member of the international organization. According to Ms. Christine Noke, the Executive Director of CFWW, "They have over 50 diagnosed patients without access to necessary medication, trained CF doctors or home therapy equipment. Most lack high caloric foods and combined with lack of enzymes are suffering from extreme malnourishment."

Reuters News Corp reported that "basic food supplies were running low", which is even worse information for someone without necessary medications to allow proper digestion of what food is available. Such is the case with cystic fibrosis, which blocks important enzymes from getting to the intestines. Without these enzymes, or their synthetic counterparts, food is not correctly broken down in the body.

Patients with CF in Gaza at one time had received care in Israel, but recent developments, even before Saturday's upheaval, precluded the treatment. CFWW is dedicated to getting a team into Gaza to assess the needs first hand. A like-minded development recently ended in success in Armenia, where "We were able to help establish a CF Center and educate hundreds of Medical professionals in the treatment of CF. We were also able to supply clinic needs such as the diagnostics etc. All the patients received free nebulisers, education guides and pep devices for home therapy," said Christine Noke, Executive Director of Cystic Fibrosis World-Wide.

In order to get things moving in Gaza, the foundation first needs access to Gaza, which will prove almost impossible with the current state of affairs in Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Cystic Fibrosis Palestine

Alicia and I raise money and awareness for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, headquartered in the United States. While many of our posts will deal specifically with that organization and our part in it, we have come across something that needs our attention now.

As you know, the Gaza Strip is in crisis. Israel has been bombing Hamas targets in the strip for the last six days, and Hamas has been returning fire by rockets. This is very disconcerting for those of us affected by cystic fibrosis. While we receive very good medical care in the developed world, most, if not all, patients in the Gaza Strip receive very little in the way of life-giving care for CF.

On December 22nd, I received an email from Ms. Christine Noke, the Executive Director of Cystic Fibrosis World-Wide (CFWW), detailing the needs of CF Palestine. Over the next several months the CFWW will be gearing up for its mission in Gaza, and I was going to be passing any information I obtained on to you. However, when Israel began it's air offensive on the 27th of December this topic became much more urgent.

We will be following the story as it develops in Gaza. Please keep our fellow CFers in your thoughts and prayers in the Gaza Strip. We'll keep information coming as often as we can.