In the clinic's small operating room, samples of bone marrow are taken. Once a very painful procedure, this operation is now carried out under anaesthetic. Marwa, who is only six, was diagnosed with cancer when she was four. These children, and many others, have to put up with far more suffering than many would care to imagine. But in an attempt to make their lives easier, the clinic has set up a recreational area on each floor, where they can read or play with toys.
Volunteers spend three hours a day with the children.
As for their parents, another NGO has taken up the challenge of helping them during a stay in Cairo that few can afford. Dar Al-Orman was set up in January 1996 by the Egyptian Organisation for Science and Culture, to host children who come from the provinces for treatment, as well as one family member. The building is not far from the NCI, and can accommodate 100 people in large dormitories. There is a doctor on call in case of emergency . Dar Al- Orman also offers what it can by way of entertainment.