Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) recently donated BD10,000 ($26,523) towards a ‘Blessing Blanket’ at a charity auction held across the Middle East in its step towards fighting cancer.

The auction is aimed at raising funds for effective cancer treatment with particular emphasis on young children battling the disease, a statement from the company said.

The ‘Blessing Blanket’ was the brainchild of an anonymous Bahraini woman who prefers to be identified as Umm Abdulla. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2004 for which she underwent surgery and chemotherapy. She was cured but relapsed in 2010, and recently underwent a 12-hour high-risk surgery. She is undergoing further treatment for cancer.

Umm Abdulla found a unique way of finding comfort during her illness – she began knitting a king-size blanket with delicate embroidery to take her mind away from her pain. Upon completing it, she decided to auction the blanket and raise funds for children fighting cancer.  

Alba stepped in when the auction was announced and contributed BD 10,000 towards the noble cause, the statement said.

The chairman of Alba’s board of directors, Mahmood Hashim Al Kooheji met the Child Wish Founder, Manal Ali Al-Awadhi in early December to present the cheque on the company’s behalf.

“Umm Abdulla’s efforts are truly worthy of emulation. It is also humbling to know that though this woman has suffered much, it has only served to strengthen her spirit of generosity. We are privileged to support this cause and our hope and prayer is that it would help – in some way – to raise greater awareness in finding effective cancer treatment for young children,” Al Kooheji said.

The auction was announced on one of the region’s top satellite television networks, and soon gained positive response from both individuals and corporate establishments based in Bahrain and outside, the statement said. Umm Abdulla also made successful use of social media to announce the auction. – TradeArabia News Service