Perseverance is one of our five key priorities at Operation Mercy. In our city, we often meet children and families who have endured immense hardship — through war, the loss of loved ones, disability, and a lack of resources. While the weight of these challenges can crush some, others find the strength to persevere through them. Haneen and her family are a remarkable example of perseverance in action.
When I first met Haneen, it was at the request of a local resident whose heart broke for this family. Haneen was one of five children — four of whom have quadriplegic cerebral palsy and are completely dependent on their caregivers. Their mother had been widowed five years earlier, after losing her husband shortly after the family survived the occupation and war that had terrorised their city.
Haneen, the youngest of the four children with disabilities, still had some mobility potential. Her three older siblings already had severe contractures that made it almost impossible for them to maintain a normal sitting position. Their mother worked tirelessly — cleaning, feeding, changing, and caring for them day and night. Despite the overwhelming challenges, she remained determined to do her best for her children. Yet she held a special hope for Haneen — that one day her youngest daughter might become more mobile and independent than her siblings.
One of our physiotherapists began working with Haneen, initially aiming to improve any functional movement that might ease her mother’s daily workload. But soon, both the mother and Haneen’s younger sister caught the spark of hope that Haneen could achieve things her siblings had never been able to do.
Today, Haneen can maintain a proper sitting position on the floor. She can roll, crawl, and stand in a gait trainer — and she is now working towards taking independent steps in it. Most wonderfully, she has become a source of joy to everyone around her, greeting visitors at the door with a radiant smile as she stands proudly by the window.
It has been our joy at Operation Mercy Iraq to persevere alongside Haneen and her family, witnessing the incredible progress she has made. For Haneen, perseverance through challenge has become her path — and her hope — for the future.
