Mr Adel Abu El Rub, Qalandia Refugee Camp, February 2011

Mr Adel Abu El Rub is a 47 year old Palestinian, living in the Qalandia Refugee Camp between Jerusalem and Ramallah.  He is married with seven children – two boys and five girls aged between 11 and 22.  One of the daughters is married and the other children are at school. Mrs El Rub is 39 years old and in good health, she looks after the family home.

Mr El Rub, however, is unable to work.  He is a congenital left arm amputee.  He also suffered from a hole in the retina of his right eye due to a condition called lattice degeneration, and a cataract in his left eye.  As is often the case in this part of the world, Mr El Rub’s extended family try to help him financially and give him ILS 1,500, around £255 every month.  Although this is most appreciated, it is not much upon which to raise such a large family. 

*Mr El Rub

Lattice degeneration is a disease of the eye where peripheral retina becomes atrophic in a lattice pattern and may develop tears or holes, which then may further progress to retinal detachment.  It was decided that Mr El Rub should undergo prophylactic laser treatment around the hole in his eye to forestall retinal detachment.  He also required phacoemulsification surgery to remove the cataract from his left eye and have an intraocular replacement lense inserted. 

Both operations were straight forward, with no complications, and the results are anticipated to be very good.  

It was decided to exempt Mr El Rub from the costs of his treatment.  He said, “I thank St. John  Hospital  for the high quality staff and services  I’m a poor man  the hospital give me the treatment  and exempted the expenses of the surgery. I appreciate everybody at the hospital.”