Words of Hope
The letters that we have received over the years from volunteers, patients and their families repeatedly remind us of the true significance of our journeys.
“So, the volunteers from “The Road to Recovery” made the journey possible. A daily journey. That is why he survived.” I first came to “The Road to Recovery” because a relative, 2-year-old Karem was suffering from a brain tumor and had undergone surgery in Ramallah. However, the treatment in Ramallah was inadequate and his condition quickly deteriorated. Nearly at death’s door the family was advised to seek treatment at Tel Hashomer Hospital in Israel. His father came to me sobbing “How am I going to find the money for the daily taxi rides? It would most likely cost us 10,000 shekels a month.” ……… There was absolutely no way that he would be able to pay for it. The father, a policeman with the Palestinian Authority, only earns 2,000 shekels a month and has to provide for the whole family. For the infant Karem, this was a death sentence. And then, the volunteers from “The Road to Recovery” made it possible. Daily trips for treatment. That is why he survived. The Association’s volunteers were like angels from the Garden of Eden, saving a drowning person from being swept away into the depths of the ocean."
Naim El Baida, now the Association’s liaison with the Palestinian Authority.
“You, your friends from “The Road to Recovery” and all the wonderful people at 'Rambam' Hospital, saved my life twice. The first time, from cancer. The second time, from morbid fanaticism.” “I have never had the opportunity to tell you quite frankly that I think you are doing the most amazing thing that I have ever encountered.
You, all your friends from “The Road to Recovery” and all the amazing people from Rambam Hospital – saved my life…
… What you are doing constitutes one of the reasons that I now yearn for peace and try to do everything in my power from my position as a teacher in order to instill people with hope and aspiration for peace. I thank you”.
A personal letter sent to Yuval on Facebook from H’aled Ziud,
a recovered cancer patient, now an English teacher from the Palestinian village of Silat al-Harithiya.
“It gave me a feeling that among the Israelis there are people with good thoughts and intentions, and that somehow, we could all work and live together. It is very difficult to express and to translate this feeling into words - this new hope.”
Mohammad Beni Gama, the father of the late Rana who was transported to hospital by “The Road to Recovery” volunteers for four years.
“And here, there was a person who I didn’t know. A person who makes a great effort to take me in his car, to assuage my fears and to cultivate hope.” “I left my life and my dreams and I went to that place. A journey that began and ended in fear. But, between all the dread, there were details and stories, and after the hope came the dreams and happiness, and there were moments of fear too. By then, I knew that there was someone who I had never met. Someone who was making an effort to take me in his car, to assuage my fears and to cultivate hope. A person who didn’t rejoice at the sight of my pain, but carried on with what he was doing in order to see the spark of happiness in my eyes, despite the pain in that place. A person who continues to act to arouse hope in me and to turn this place into a place of love and dreams. Hours and days passed, with bitterness and pain, but this same person appeared again. I felt safe despite all the moments of pain. Thank you, Yoni, thank you Yuval and thank you to all the volunteers!”
These words were written following the death of twenty-year-old A’aref Kamil from Jenin, who was frequently transported by the Association’s volunteers over many years from the Rechan border crossing to Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer Hospital.