Family starts initiative to provide surgery for their daughter

AMMAN — Zeina Abu Ali’s passion for flowers inspired her parents to launch an initiative aimed at raising money for the surgery of their eight-year-old  daughter. 

When she was one year old, Ali was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, according to her mother, Eiman Asaad.

The family spent more than one year helping her through physical therapy that finally enabled their child to walk. However, she still needed assistance even for simple tasks, they said. 

“The surgery Zeina needs is only conducted in the US and Turkey, and although the expenses in Turkey are lower than in the US, they did not accept her case,” Asaad recalled.  

The cost of the surgery is $85,000, which includes Ali’s accommodation at the hospital for one month after the end of the surgery, according to her mother.  

With no way of being able to afford the cost of the surgery on their own, Ali’s passion towards flowers inspired the family to initiate an idea called “let’s fill Jordan with flowers”, with the aim of raising money to meet with the expenses of the surgery. 

“When she was young she liked flowers; she was always excited about flowers, and whenever she finds clothes that show photos of flowers she gets them. When she visits a place that has no flowers she gets upset,” Eiman said. 

The family decided to purchase roses from a nursery to later display at their house, allowing people to contact them through social media and place delivery orders which go towards Ali’s surgery.  Ali also joins her father to pick out the roses she likes at the plant nursery. “Many people call to send us donations without buying the flowers [but Ali] does not accept that,” said her mother. 

 Since the start of the initiative in July, the family has managed to collect $28,000. Assad said the determination and power of their daughter inspired them to pursue their dream of travelling to the US and having the surgery. 

The initiative has also helped boost the morale of her daughter and made her feel more confident her mother said.