Rehab Matar .. a childhood changed by shrapnel, and a hope worth protecting

At the age of eight, Rehab Matar was playing in one of Gaza’s parks. At this age, a child’s distance should have been the distance between home and school, or between one swing and another. But an Israeli bombardment targeted the park where she was playing, turning those moments into an injury that changed her life.

The bombardment’s shrapnel struck Rehab’s brain and caused her to become partially paralyzed. Since then, movement, which was once a natural part of her day, has become a challenge, and treatment and care have become an essential part of her childhood. The effects of the bombardment were no longer confined to the moment of injury; they extended into the details of her life and into the daily needs she faces with her family.

A life in a tent .. and needs that cannot wait

Rehab now lives in a tent in Gaza, and her family tries to care for her amid the conditions of displacement and the harshness of life. And the tent, no matter how much her family tries to make it more comfortable, does not provide a child with partial paralysis the right environment for rest, movement, and receiving care.

Rehab needs someone to support her in activities that have become harder because of her injury, and she needs a safe space suited to her condition. Between the cramped space and the difficulty of securing basic needs, caring for her becomes a daily responsibility that requires time, effort, and ongoing expenses from her family.

Alongside the worry about her health, there is a question that never goes away: how can what she needs be secured today, then tomorrow, and throughout the treatment journey?

The treatment journey does not end at the hospital door

Rehab needs treatment expenses and medical follow-up, as well as physical therapy sessions as part of her care and rehabilitation plan. These needs are not met by a single visit; they require continuity, the ability to access services, and coverage of their costs.

Physical therapy is an important part of Rehab’s care, aimed at helping her improve her ability to move and carry out daily activities as much as possible, according to her condition and the assessment of specialists. Behind every session there is a need to prepare, leave the tent, reach the treatment site, and then return, all of which places a burden on an injured child and her family.

Even transportation to the hospital is a need in its own right. Securing a treatment appointment is not enough if the cost of getting there is not available. Travel becomes even more difficult when the child needs help with movement, and the fare becomes an essential part of her care expenses, not a minor detail that can be overlooked.

At the same time, daily expenses continue: food, drinking water, hygiene supplies, and other necessities of life in the tent. The need for treatment does not cancel out the need for a sufficient meal or a clean and comfortable place, and providing these essentials helps the family care for Rehab and continue following up on her condition.

Rehab deserves to be seen beyond her injury

Rehab is an eight-year-old girl with the right to education, play, and safety, and to find someone who gives her attention, opportunity, and support. Her injury changed her life, but it does not define her personality or take away her rights, or what the coming days may hold for her.

We cannot promise her that the treatment journey will be easy, or that its outcome is guaranteed, but we can support her so that the costs of care, transportation, and daily needs do not become an additional obstacle in her path. And we can ease some of the burden on her family, helping them devote more time and attention to caring for their child.

And Rehab is not alone. In Gaza, there are many children and injured people living with the effects of injuries that changed their lives, and they need treatment, rehabilitation, and ongoing support, and people who remember that their needs do not end when the news ends or the image disappears.

Your giving supports the treatment journey

With your donation, you contribute to supporting Rehab and other children and injured people, and helping cover the costs of treatment, physical therapy, transportation to the hospital, and basic daily needs. Every contribution can ease part of this burden and support the continuity of the care they need.

We cannot change what happened to Rehab, but we can contribute to what awaits her. Your donation supports efforts to provide treatment, care, and rehabilitation for her and for other children and injured people, and gives them the support they need to face the coming days with dignity and hope.

Donate today to help Rehab and the children and injured people of Gaza. No matter how much you give, you can be part of their care journey .. join us in writing a different ending for them.