Food as Medicine for Palestine's PKU Kids

Thanks to your generosity, children with Phenylketonuria (PKU) in Gaza are receiving the safe nutrition they need.  

With your support, on January 24th we completed the eighth phase of food parcel distribution, this time including blankets to keep families warm during the harsh winter. 193 PKU patients across the southern, central, and northern regions of Gaza received food parcels.

Each PKU food parcel included carefully selected items—mostly vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, potatoes, cauliflower, cucumbers, lemons, apples, clementines, pomegranates, pumpkin, avocados, and olive oil—and a blanket.

The joy and relief our team witnessed were deeply moving. Families were incredibly happy, expressing deep gratitude for the support they received during these critical times, as they can not afford these items, and hoped that this assistance would continue. 

Cold weather, hunger, and unstable living conditions are adding to the suffering of PKU patients in Gaza. Living in tents or damaged homes, exposed to winter storms and floods, their bodies are growing weaker each day. Amid this, their only hope is access to fresh vegetables and fruits, which help them regain strength and protect their health. 

• Mohammad is one of the PKU children living in the north. He received a food parcel, giving his body the nutrition it urgently needs. He lives with his sister and elderly parents in a cold, flooded tent without access to proper food. Mohammad’s condition has worsened during the war and displacement. Winter rains and freezing temperatures continue to threaten his health. He has lost significant weight and grown weaker. Thanks to your support, Mohammad now has access to the nutrition that protects him from further harm.

• Marwan is another child who received a box of nutritional support to help protect him from serious harm, along with a blanket to keep him warm during the harsh, cold weather in Gaza. Marwan’s mother watched his behavior change dramatically during the war due to constant stress, displacement, and separation from his father. Currently, Marwan and his family are living in an overcrowded classroom, sharing a small space with 18 people. The lack of stability, hygiene, and basic supplies has taken a serious toll on his health, education, and emotional well-being.

• Hassan is another beneficiary of the eighth phase. Providing him with proper nutrition has been a challenge for his family. With no source of income and no support from other organizations, access to safe food has been out of reach. During the war, Hassan’s brother shared that his anxiety increased and his health condition significantly worsened. Winter has made their situation even more dangerous. Storms have flooded the place where they are staying multiple times, and the house may collapse at any moment.

Thank you for making this possible–for making safe nutrition accessible for the PKU patients in Gaza.

For children with PKU, consistency is essential. These food parcels safeguard their health and prevent permanent brain damage. If you are not giving monthly, please consider making a monthly donation to ensure that PKU patients have continuous access to these food parcels.

Thanks for all that you do.

Links:

• Eyad, a boy with PKU, and his family asks for your support