Rawan Al Najjar: A New Beginning Filled With Hope

By: Ra’ed Al Nims

It will be a long time before Rawan Al Najjar (10) forgets what happened on that horrendous day during the Israeli military incursion into Khoza’a to the East of Khan Younis. An Israeli shell hit her home, turning parts of it into rubble. The last thing Rawan remembers before losing consciousness is a dreadfully loud explosion which left her with a skull fracture, intracranial bleeding and serious wounds. Her mother (Umm Muhammad, 51) carried her in her arms, begging her to open her eyes, but to no avail. She thought the little girl had died, and called her husband, who was trying to extract their other children from under the rubble, to come and hold Rawan. Both parents carried the little girl, their tears dropping onto the child’s face and mixing with her blood.

“We took her to the European Hospital where we were told that Rawan was still alive, but in a serious condition nevertheless. We supplicated to God to heal her so that she returns home and fills the house with laughter”, Umm Muhammad said.

Rawan stayed in hospital for six days before being referred to the Rehabilitation Section at PRCS’ Al Amal Hospital in Khan Younis where she was to receive physical, occupational and psychological rehabilitation. According to Aya Kallab, a physiotherapist at the Section, Rawan suffered from weak upper and lower limb muscles, a balance disorder and severe trauma. Moreover, she had trouble standing and walking and her eyes were swollen”.

Rawan received treatment at the Section for over two months. Her rapid recovery plan included physical, occupational and psychosocial therapy as well as reading and drawing activities, games for movement rehabilitation and psychosocial support sessions. Following these two months, she was able to resume her normal life and to overcome her health and psychological problems.

According to Dr. Wa’el Makki, Director of Al Amal Hospital, the hospital’s “rehabilitation section is currently the only facility in the Gaza Strip offering rehabilitation services to patients with temporary or permanent disabilities. Al Wafa’ Hospital, which used to offer these same services in the Northern Gaza Strip, was destroyed by the Israelis”.

The PRCS Section was inaugurated in May 2013 to assist patients with spinal cord and head injuries as well as amputees and stroke patients. In addition to providing physical and occupational therapy, the Section promotes positive behavior by staff towards patients in order to ensure they do not feel inferior or helpless, and to prepare them for future reintegration into their society. Rawan is one of hundreds of children injured during the latest Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip. Ministry of Health statistics reveal that 30% of those who were made disabled by this attack were children. PRCS’ health, community-based and psychosocial support teams are all working relentlessly to provide adequate help to these children in order to allay their suffering and to ensure their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

“At the beginning, I was unable to stand or walk. Now, I can run around and play with my friends. I will not forget the games I played nor the stories I read at the PRCS’ Rehabilitation Section where I felt at home. I will miss the lovely time I spent there”, Rawan told us with a very big smile spread across her face.

End.