Egypt - Part 2

Day 4:

Keynote Address to Scientific Smyposium by Amb. Nancy G. Brinker.

Roundtable Discussions with Regional Advocates, Delegates, and SGK Staff: This was a real treat, we were all given assigned seats, each table was very diverse, we discussed cultural differences, challenges, and what we were each doing to make a difference and what we wanted for the future. At the end each table spoke, one in particular I will never forget, a regional advocate told us that even though it is against the law some doctors in some areas of the world will tell the man about his wives diagnosis before telling her and then between the two of them they decide whats best for the patient/wife. I couldnt believe what I was hearing. That is horrible.

Later that evening we had a private tour of the Cairo Museum~ What a special treat that was!

The Royal Mummies room is amazing. I could hardly believe my eyes. As for King Tut, same thing, simply amazing! The kid was only 19! He makes me feel like such a slacker! One thing that cracked me up about King Tut is that he would wear flip flops with the pictures of his enemies on them so he stepped on his enemies with each step he took (now thats hard core) he also had his enemies pictures on his foot rests (again with the hard core hatred)

I still cant believe that this museum doesnt house the real rosetta stone - oh well, maybe one day they can get it back from the British Museum. Until then, I'll keep an eye on it for them while I'm in London.

We ended Day 4 with yet another extra special treat (insert spoiled) we had dinner at the U.S. Embassy, U.S. Amb. Margaret Scoby to Egypt Residence. It was so pretty and planned to the "t". She is a Tennessean also, Memphis is her hometown, as a fellow TN'en I spoke with her for a while about TN and she invited me in to see her Memphis artwork in her living room, it was beautiful! (insert honored and spoiled yet again) We ended the evening with yet another surprise - Strawberry Ice Cream in the Shape of a Pyramid! Youll see it in the pictures as well as the "plate with the special seal" I ate it off of. (how can I ever go home after a day/night like this)

Day 5: Breakfast Presentation by Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Supreme Council of Antiquities - He is a really passionate man with a very colorful personality (what a treat!) We were also surprised with one his books and he signed all of them for us (insert smile) check out my picture with him! (mike was very jealous about this and the museum)

We then loaded the buses and toured the brand new "57357" Children's Cancer Hospital - it was amazing - check out the picture - http://www.57357.com/ - This is hospital runs solely on donations and trust me it is not cheap to run. Please visit its website. We toured the hospital, gave out toys to the kids, and learned all about the hospital, how it got started, how it operates, and what it hopes to achieve in the future. This hospital gives their care free of charge as long as you are newly diagnosed, they do not accept preexisting conditions at this hospital.

We then toured the National Cancer Institute - this hospital is nothing like 57357 - It is government funded and completely ran by the government - keep in mind a lot of people here do not trust their government at this time - so that means people arent really willing to donate to this hospital. This 600 bed hospital see's thousands of new cancer patients a year where other hospitals may only see a couple hundred a year. Why is there so many new cancer cases in this area? They dont know.

I will do my best not to judge and just try to describe to you what I saw.

When our luxury bus pulled up to the front of the hospital - there was a line to get in that was wrapped around the building.

We were then whisked into a private entrance and then sat in this clean air conditioned auditorium while the Directors of the Hospital spoke a little about the hospital and then we were broken into small groups and were given a tour of various facilities.

We entered some kind of procedure room, I am sorry I cant remember exactly but what I can remember is the bed that the patient would lie on hand finger prints all over it, the windows were covered in dirt, there was missing ceiling tiles, the floors were filthy, but what stood out the most was over the bed where the patient would be lying was the A/C unit, it was blowing hard and it was covered in black mold and piles of dust. This room changed me to say the least. My knees got a little weak, my heart pounding and my eyes were swelling with tears, I tried to hold it in, but I couldnt. I had to ask Susan for a tissue. And all I could say when she asked me was I ok is I am so lucky.

We then toured a children's treatment wing, there were about 8/so kids in a pretty large room and in one room they were even singing songs and smiling, this was great to see. If only all the treatment areas in this hospital could be like that.

As we were touring the hospital I noticed that there were windows open to the outside, the hallways were filthy and tons of contaminates could be coming in those windows, for it to be a hospital, it wasnt a very sterile environment.

We then reached the pediatric chemo unit. The walls were once painted green and had disney characters on them, however, the day we toured it looked like someone got a jack hammer and went to town on the walls, it was warm, the A/C was not on/it was not working. The halls were tight, so cramped that our group was concerned if we should even be entering the unit.

I walk into one room where kids were getting their chemo. This is what I saw. A room about the size of my living room was filled with roughly a dozen beds and packed with family members. Children lying on beds that needed to be hosed down, fans above their beds that I thought had tan colored streamers tied to them for fun turned out to be streams of dust and dirt instead. One egyptian child was so pale, he made me look tan. That broke my heart. This is suppose to be a sterile environment, these kids are fighting for their lives. I lost it, I cried like a baby.

We gave out toys to the kids until we ran out. This turned out to probably be a bad idea. One mother started pushing me in the back because her child didnt get a toy. We quickly left the unit and toured the adult chemo treatment unit.

I had never seen chemo.I was told some call it the "red devil".

We walked into an area that was broken up into what looked like it was once a small hallway, a janitors closet and maybe a tiny room used for something and it all was in great need of bath. People lined the walls sitting in chairs while attached to their bags of "the red devil", we gave out heart pillows that our group had sewn over the last few days and we saw smiles fill this cramped space.

As we were walking from wing to wing, to room to room, we passed dirt, trash, cockroaches, and just the most nonsterile environment my eyes have ever seen.

We were told that they have 250 volunteers which made me happy. They need more.

We also saw what a small toy or pillow could do for someone who is sick, if you or someone you know or a company that you know can give, I recommend getting involved and giving.

OK, now onto a more uplifting topic. We toured the Breast Cancer Foundation of Egypt (BCFE) Offices - it is brand new! It just opened! We were met with beautiful pink tulle, brand new floors, office furniture, fresh paint, press interviews and patients getting treatment there already - what a wonderful sight! All the patients had smiles! They are fighting and they are surviving!

The Delegates and SGK Staff were also surprised by the BCFE team with beautiful pyramids with BCFE and a ribbon on them. How thoughtful! I will cheerish mine forever. Thank you BCFE!

The BCFE exists because a handful of people had a vision and kept fighting until they made their vision become a reality! They were on a mission to succeed and they did!

We ended the trip with a Bedouin Tent Farewell dinner ( a bedoiun tent is traditionally a place where travelers can rest while traveling in the desert for up to 3 days so they can get their strength back to continue their journey) Picture this: we pulled up to the gates around the Pyramids, its pitch dark, the only thing we see are our headlights, we start driving but cant see anything until all of a sudden we see some lights that look like possible torches from a far, I then see the Pyramids barely lit in the distance, I get off the bus and see the prettiest tent that I have ever seen in my life, the richest colors that I have ever seen, white lights draping it, music playing, horses dancing, belly dancers dancing, people dancing, camels waiting to be ridden, tables so beautifully set, wine flowing, and smiles thoroughout. I think this would of even made Mr. Scrooge break a smile. Again, I am so lucky. I went on this trip alone and left with a family, I have never meet such an amazing group of people.

I look around and all the SGK staff members can finally relax. All their hard work has paid off and the week has gladly yet sadly come to an end. It was seamless. They made it all look so easy but we all know it wasnt. Hugs all around to all the SGK staff!

Although they may of done too good of job. When I got home I was so lost without someone telling me where I needed to be next, what time and what I need to be wearing. I already miss you Jason and Yale!

Day 6: 620 a.m. I'm in the lobby of the Four Seasons to meet my ride to the airport. Gwen (another delegate) and I load into the car and just look at each other and cant believe what we just experienced, there just arent words to properly describe it. Dreamlike? Unforgetable? Amazing? Even though I cant find the words to properly describe it to really give it the justice it deserves I do know that I am forever changed because of it.

And then when I arrived home my sweet husband had a dozen pink roses waiting for me - What a perfect way to end a perfect trip. Thank you Mike!