By Daoud Kuttab

For the fifth consecutive year, Alliance Academy Jordan (AAJ) dedicated an entire week to raising cancer awareness and collecting donations from students, teachers, and supporters to support the King Hussein Cancer Center.

AAJ Academy concluded its awareness week Saturday with a diverse program featuring testimonials from cancer survivors, prose and poetry readings, and a filmed play, all aimed at highlighting the importance of cancer prevention and challenging stereotypes associated with the disease.

At the end of the program, students from kindergarten through grade 12 participated in a walk through the Al-Yadoudeh neighborhood, supported and secured by Public Security personnel, under the banner “Walk for Life.”  During the outdoor event, students carried signs and slogans to raise community awareness about cancer.

The Academy’s General Director, Salam Madanat, concluded the event by presenting a check for 4,000 Jordanian Dinars to Fahid El-Farraj, a representative of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF). Notably, the Academy’s annual contributions have grown steadily by 1,000 Dinars each year.

For his part, Fahid El Farraj emphasized that the Center’s mission extends beyond fundraising; it aims to build a supportive society rooted in compassion and awareness. “Our goal is to educate the community about the importance of prevention and early detection,” he stated. El-Farraj noted that the government provides cancer medical insurance coverage for individuals under 19 and those over 60, adding, “This leaves a need for medical protection for those between the ages of 20 and 59.” He encouraged individuals within this age range to enroll in the King Hussein Cancer Center’s “Ri’aya” (Care) insurance program, which offers comprehensive treatment coverage for an annual fee of 120 Dinars.

El-Farraj also commended the event’s high organizational standards and the Academy’s students’ remarkable engagement during the awareness-raising segments.

Reem Ammarin, the Academy’s Director of Life Development, opened the event, explained the initiative’s purpose, and highlighted the students’ diverse contributions. These included modest donations from students’ personal savings, bake sale proceeds, and direct contributions from students, their families, and school staff and administration.

School principal Jumana Akkawi emphasized the importance of cancer prevention through a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet. She underscored the need for early detection, citing the high recovery rates associated with it, and encouraged people to trust God, the ultimate source of healing for all.

Julia Haddad (33) shared an inspiring account of her journey to overcome the disease. Her recovery included daily running, which eventually enabled her to complete the 42-kilometer Athens Marathon. Haddad offered a poignant testimony on the importance of relying on God, noting that during her most difficult moments, her constant prayer was: “Lord, I trust in You.”

A touching and heartfelt conversation took place with 10-year-old student Shaden Al-Ramahi, a cancer survivor who recovered after being diagnosed with leukemia at the age of six. Shaden recounted her experience, highlighting the pivotal impact of meeting His Majesty the King on her and her family during her recovery.

In the artistic segment, student Jude Omeish recited an English poem titled “Still Here,” while teacher Mirella Abdullah captivated the audience with a moving original Arabic poem titled “From the Depths of the Abyss.”

Additionally, a school group performed a play titled “You Are Not the Story.” In a poignant dramatic scene titled “You Are Not the Story”. Arabic language teacher Ghadeer Rabadi wrote the play, with students Karam Al-Salata, Lamees Mardini, and Lea Maria Al-Yacoub delivering a deeply moving, human-centered message. They underscored that a person is far greater than their illness, and that hope, faith, and love remain more powerful than pain. While cancer may be a part of one’s story, it is neither the title nor the author of its ending.

The celebration concluded with two songs performed by the academy’s choir, directed by Yousef Barbour: “I Touch My Healing in Your Presence” and “You Are the Smile.”