Jasem* had always been active and healthy but in October 2024, the 42-year-old volleyball coach experienced a sudden onset of severe back pain and fever. The pain was intense and accompanied by night sweats. He took painkillers, but after a while noticed alarming swelling in his right hip.
He sought immediate medical attention at a hospital which Relief International supports with thanks to the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). Here doctors diagnosed him with Fournier’s gangrene, a rare and life-threatening condition affecting the scrotum.
Upon admission, Jasem underwent various tests, and his doctors started him on a course of medications and careful monitoring. However, after just three days, his condition worsened significantly, and necrosis began to spread. He required an immediate and complex surgery, performed with the limited resources available in the hospital.
The surgery was successful and over the course of his recovery, Jasem received attentive care, including daily bandage changes, regular medications and emotional support. “I felt like I was at home, not in a hospital,” Jasem recalls.
Muthana, a Supervisor Nurse at Relief International, played a vital role in coordinating the care provided to Jasem. “This case was extremely complex due to the lack of resources for such surgeries in primary care centers,” Muthana explains.
“However, it was our duty to ensure the best possible care. We worked closely with the doctors and provided everything we could to ensure his recovery regardless of the lack of tools.”
The road to recovery was long.
Jasem spent weeks in the hospital, with daily dressing changes and close monitoring of his condition. Despite the difficulty of the surgery, he showed remarkable improvement. Over time, his acute swelling began to subside and his health steadily improved.
“It felt like a miracle,” Jasem said. “From the severe pain and inability to move, I’m now able to walk again, thanks to the incredible care I received.”
Jasem’s case is a testament to his own resilience and of the medical team that worked so hard to save his life. When other hospitals refused to treat Jasem due to the complexity of his condition, the Relief International team stepped in.
Today, Jasem is not only grateful for his recovery but also for the support of the team who treated him as more than just a patient.
“This hospital saved my life,” Jasem reflects. “Here, I received the care I needed when I had nowhere else to turn. I will always be grateful for that.”
Now Jasem is looking forward to resuming his life, free from the pain that once consumed him.
*Names of interviewees changed to protect their identities.
Relief International and European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)
Relief International has only been able to support people like Jasem because of the support of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). EU ECHO currently supports health facilities and protection spaces operated by Relief International across Syria.
EU ECHO currently supports 15 health facilities and 10 protection spaces operated by Relief International across Syria. Thanks to ECHO’s support last year, Relief International was able to deliver healthcare to over 400,000 individuals and provide essential protection services to nearly 10,000 people.
