Jun, 2026
With support from Choose Love, our health clinics are expanding healthcare access to displaced people in Gaza
For eight long months, Diana watched her 18-month-old son, Saif, suffer from a painful skin condition. Blistering sores covered his body, oozing blood and fluid. His skin was severely swollen. Despite repeated visits to nearby clinics in Zawayda, where they were camped following displacement, his condition showed no signs of improvement.
“I was exhausted emotionally,” Diana recalls. “But I never lost hope. I always believed God would heal my son.”
Diana, a mother of six from Jabalia in northern Gaza, has been displaced seven times since the war began. Before the war, her husband worked in a respected organization and was able to provide a stable life for the family. Like many families in Gaza, they lost both their home and their source of income during the war.
“His brothers and sisters would cry because they wanted to hold their little brother.”
Even in the midst of hardship, Diana is known among those around her for her upbeat personality and constant smile.
“People in the camp describe me as friendly and cheerful,” she says. “But they don’t know how much pain I carry inside.”
Her son’s health condition affected every aspect of family life. Fearing the disease might spread, Diana had to isolate him from his siblings. They were not allowed to hug him, play with him or sleep in the same space.
“His brothers and sisters would cry because they wanted to hold their little brother,” she says. “I had to tell them he was sick and that they could get infected.”
Diana rarely let Saif play outside and watched his every movement, afraid that dirt or germs might irritate his fragile skin or lead to another infection. Simple moments that most families take for granted, like letting a toddler crawl, play, and explore, became sources of anxiety.
“I couldn’t even let him sit on the ground because I was so afraid for him,” Diana says.
She washed his clothes apart from the rest of the family’s laundry, fed him from a separate plate and rarely allowed him outside the tent. The isolation was heartbreaking for both Diana and Saif.
Relief came when Diana received a message inviting her to visit Anera’s primary healthcare center in Nuseirat, supported by Choose Love.
“I wouldn’t hesitate to knock on any door if I could help my son,” she says.
“I wouldn’t hesitate to knock on any door if I could help my son.”
At the clinic, Diana met a dermatology specialist who carefully examined her child and developed a treatment plan. Along with medication, she received practical guidance on hygiene and infection prevention, including washing clothes in hot water and exposing bedding and clothing to sunlight.
For the first time, she felt confident that her son was receiving the right diagnosis and treatment for a bacterial skin infection.
“Within just ten days, I started seeing a significant improvement,” Diana says. “After months of suffering and misdiagnosis, Saif finally began to recover.”
The clinic continued providing regular follow-up care, medication, nutritional support and weekly services. Throughout every visit, Diana says the staff treated her with compassion and respect.
“They always welcomed me warmly and reassured me,” she recalls. “They would tell me, ‘You don’t have to face this alone, we are here to help you.’”
Today, Saif has made remarkable progress. His siblings can finally hug him and play with him again. He sleeps alongside his brothers and sisters, shares meals with the family and enjoys spending time outdoors. For Diana, these ordinary moments are no longer things to fear, they are reminders of how far her son has come.
“Within just ten days, I started seeing a significant improvement. After months of suffering and misdiagnosis, Saif finally began to recover.”
Looking back on her son’s suffering, Diana is filled with gratitude.
“For eight months, Saif desperately needed treatment that simply wasn’t available. I was even considering returning to Gaza City just so he could receive medical care. I kept wondering what would happen to him. But now Saif is recovering and I’m deeply grateful.”
Despite everything her family has endured, Diana remains strong. “We lost our home. My husband lost his job. But I still say, thank God. God does not forget anyone.”
Like many displaced families in Gaza, Diana struggled to access specialized healthcare for her children. Her story highlights the importance of maintaining primary healthcare services during prolonged crises.
