Help us raise money

My son Jad was born 5 weeks before the war in Gaza started. He is a descendent of Palestinian refugees who sought refuge in Gaza in 1948 after losing their homes, during the Nakba, in now Israel. By the time Jad turned 6 weeks old, more than 600 children in Gaza had been killed in air strikes. Tragically, 16 of our relatives have been killed by Israeli airstrikes, 4 of them children under 5.  

As a first time mom, I learned to soothe my son's cries while mothers in Gaza tried to soothe their children's cries amidst the sound of bombs falling. I learned to breastfeed my son while mothers in Gaza lost access to formula, food and clean water. I sought medical care for my son while children in Gaza died due to having no access to basic medical care. I bought my son his first toys while mothers in Gaza dug belongings out from the rubble of destroyed homes. The beginning of my son's life will forever be marked by memories of the horrific news of death and destruction coming out of Gaza.

This is small snapshot into the grief Palestinians have been carrying and the grief we in the diaspora carry. In an ongoing attempt to process this immense pain, and help where we can  I've decided to partake in this year's Run for Palestine taking place on Sunday July 27th. This is a charity run where I'll commit to run 5K, and ask those that can to commit to sponsoring Jad and I's run. Yes, thats right, the plan is for Jad to join me in his stroller on this run. We are dedicating our run to the children of Gaza and so it seemed appropriate Jad, our little Palestinian boy, lead our team of runners. 

For those of you that know me, you know I'm not a runner and never have been. But I have been training, slowly building my endurance over the past weeks, running  with a shoulder injury through the heat waves and cold bursts. 

Please feel free to come cheer us on or donate any amount you can spare. Gaza's children and their families are in desperate need of any support. Anyrhing you can offer is grately appreciated. Thank you kindly for your generosity. 

Your tax deductible donations will go to Islamic Relief Canada who has partners on the ground providing emergency food, water, shelter, psychological services and medical aid.