UAE Helping Hands: A mum’s tears for her daughter

Shamim Bano typically works from 5.30am to 8pm to make ends meet, but it is not enough to afford the price tag of an operation to remove her daughter's tumour.

Asma Abdulla, 39, from Pakistan, has a tumour on her neck and her family needs Dh75,000 to pay for the surgery. Pawan Singh / The National

DUBAI // To say that Shamim Bano works hard would be an understatement – her typical working day begins at 5.30am and does not end before 8pm.

The Pakistani mother of five drives a taxi in Dubai. Her monthly base wage is Dh1,000 but she earns more working extra hours. On her weekly day off on Fridays, she uses a friend’s car to drive customers.

That is because Ms Bano cannot afford to take a day off from work. Since her husband was retrenched more than 10 years ago, she has to work to pay for her five children’s daily needs and education.

Two months ago, she found out that her second eldest daughter, Asma Abdulla, 39, was ill. But Ms Bano is unable to afford the costs of a necessary surgery.

Ms Abdulla, who looks after her younger siblings when Ms Bano is at work, has a tumour on the right side of her neck. Doctors have advised that she have the ­tumour surgically removed as soon as possible.

Doctors warned Ms Abdulla that the tumour could destroy her vocal cords if not treated and eventually cause her death. The surgery costs Dh75,000, which the family cannot afford.

Ms Abdulla’s basic health insurance plan does not cover the costs of surgery.

Now about 60 years old, Ms Bano has pushed her body to its limit and she has osteoporosis.

“I’ve always depended on my daughter to look after the house and her brothers and sisters while I am at work,” she says.

“I don’t know what to do now. I can’t bear to lose her. I don’t know where to get the money from.” Ms Bano is seeking additional work – despite already working very long hours – so that she can afford to pay for her daughter’s surgery.

“It breaks my heart to watch my mom. It is our fault she is suffering this way,” says Ms Abdulla, who is also looking for work to pay for her operation.

“I see her suffer the physical pain but now I know she is suffering because of me. During Fajr prayers, she wakes up to pray and I can hear her cry and ask God to make me better.”

Hisham Al Zahrani, manager of zakat and social services at Dar Al Ber, is asking readers for ­donations to help the family.

“Whatever donations we get, the society will pay the remaining amount,” he says. “The family have been struggling all their lives to makes ends meet.”