Rose Cheea

Rose and her family were living near Homs in a village called Karm Cham Cham. She was married and had two children, one who was studying in Year Six and the other who was four years old and hadn’t yet started school.

Before the conflict, Rose’s husband was working in Saudi Arabia for an import/export company of automobile parts. At that time only the father lived there, while the remainder of the family lived in Syria. Three years after the commencement of the Syrian conflict, Rose and her children decided to join the father in Saudi Arabia as the situation in Syria had become too tense.

In Saudi Arabia Rose developed cancer of the lymph glands for which she received treatment. She benefited from this treatment and the cancer went into remission for several months, but then sadly the cancer reappeared. At that time it was considered necessary for her to have two operations but in Saudi Arabia these were too costly. After much discussion, and because the operations would be less expensive in Syria, the family decided to return home so that Rose could receive the appropriate treatment. As a result, the entire family returned to Syria, including the husband who gave up his job in Saudi Arabia.

On returning to Syria, Rose’s husband attempted to find work but was unsuccessful. Consequently he returned to Saudi Arabia but again was unsuccessful in finding work and, as a result, has now rejoined his family in Syria.

The family is currently living in Damascus where they are renting a small apartment which is paid for from the father’s savings he accumulated while working in Saudi Arabia. Rose’s two operations have also been able to be paid for from the father’s savings and with help from the family. However, today the family tragically lacks the means to continue to pay the rent on the apartment and also to purchase the medicines needed by Rose for her recuperation.