They say you don’t truly know how strong you are until being strong is your only option.

Life can hit us with moments that knock the wind out of us, literally and figuratively. For us, Dana and Mona, those moments came in very different forms, but they brought us to the same place: a deep desire to rise up and give back.

About Mona’s experience - Last year, I faced a frightening health diagnosis - one of those terrifying pauses in life that changes everything. What began as a routine exam became an alarming medical evaluation when I learned I had breast cancer. Thankfully detected at its earliest most treatable stage, it was surgically removed, and today I’m healthy, strong, and profoundly grateful. Yet my own swift recovery only deepened my awareness of how many people struggle to access early detection, the right treatments, and the emotional support they—and their families—desperately need. That’s why I’m determined to give back: to help ensure more lives are saved through timely diagnosis, quality care, and compassionate community resources.

About Dana’s experience: Ten years ago, my first son Zayn was born, almost dead - he stopped oxygen to himself fully for 7 minutes during birth. Those 7 minutes led to weeks in the NICU, developmental delays, years of searching for a diagnosis and necessary therapies as well as endless learning around love, surrender, gratitude and the beauty of the world through his eyes. We have been blessed with the ability to provide him with the best doctors and therapists along the way. Today, Zayn is thankfully thriving on the autism spectrum and enriching our lives like we could not have imagined. I’d like to do my part in ensuring other families get a similar opportunity to thrive.

Both experiences left a mark - and a mission.
This summer, to honour our journeys and support others still facing their own, we’ve committed to climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro side by side. Together, we’re turning our personal trials into a shared mission of hope, healing and support - shedding light on the work of two amazing NGOs in Lebanon that are deeply personal to us, while also raising $50,000 to support their mission and beneficiaries:

Barbara Nassar Association for Cancer Patient Support, an organisation committed to guiding and supporting cancer patients and their families psychologically and financially, by advocating on behalf of patients and providing access to consultations, services, supportive care and medications free of charge; and

OpenMinds, an organisation dedicated to empowering children and young adults with autism and neurodevelopmental differences — providing access to therapies, inclusive education and vocational training to families that otherwise would not be able to afford them.

We’d be deeply honoured if you’d follow our story, share it, and support these organisations if you're able. Every step we take up that mountain will be for those still facing their own uphill battle, and the life-changing work of these two incredible organisations.

With love and gratitude,
Mona and Dana