One of Cairdeas’ closest friends and colleagues over the years has been Professor Khamis Elessi, from Gaza, who we have worked in partnership with to help deliver teaching and support to Palestinian healthcare workers, hospitals and students. Over the past few years of targeted attacks by Israel against healthcare workers in Gaza, Khamis has worked tirelessly to treat his patients, look after his staff and continue to educate the next generation of Gazan doctors.

During our recent Edinburgh conference, we heard from Professor Elessi, through an interview with Dr Mhoira Leng, whom he calls sister, where he spoke on keeping hope alive in the middle of genocide and his sense of a common humanity with all people:

M: We have been exploring the topic of rethinking coping and exploring hope in midst of conflict and change. We would love to hear your personal perspective on coping in a time of genocide and also exploring hope.

K: There are three main factors which help us to cope during these times of massacre and genocide: First is our religion, which gives us a strong foundation, that whatever happens to you has been destined. If we keep being patient and looking at things positively, we will be rewarded. We’ll be setting a model to others to withstand their sufferings, especially if you’re the head of your family, you’ll become a role model to your medical students or your junior colleagues. Second when we see our co-citizens, our fellow Palestinians are enduring even more harsh conditions than you, and they still put all praise to Allah and still find ways to continue with their lives despite the loss of their loved ones, their homes and belongings, their possessions and their life-long savings. They still aspire for a brighter tomorrow. If they can do it, why can’t I. Third, and most importantly, is the unprecedented international solidarity with Palestinians. When we see hundreds of thousands of people marching in the streets and gathering in every square around the globe to demonstrate for the sake of Palestine, we realise that we are not alone, that we have brothers and sisters in each corner of the world who are standing with us and supporting us and we are reassured that we are on the right path. We are humanitarians who want to help other humans to have a dignified life and to live pain free, to enjoy every basic human right that they deserve to have here in Gaza. When we see millions of people pouring into the street from all directions, in all different capitals of the world, we feel that, yes, there is hope. It makes us feel better despite all the hardship we’ve been enduring for the past 2 years.

M: One of the things I have learned from you over the years, particularly in discussions about palliative care, is that deep sense of humanity, which I saw in you and also saw in the culture and community of Gaza. Would you say more about the sense of being human together, what that means to you?

K: Being human, I think, is the most important ingredient in being a successful doctor, a successful healer, a successful compassionate leader. If you are not a human, you cannot feel the suffering of other humans as well, but if you truly are a human you can feel the pain of colleagues, patients, friends, neighbours, etc. Humanity is the common trade name for any person who wants to act and do what humans should do. When we see other humans in all continents feeling and sympathising with us, enduring violence, punishment, interrogation by authorities worldwide, and still insisting on supporting Palestinian humans as equal human beings like any other person, we feel that, yes, humanity is a common language – we are all humans, we are all created by the same creator, we all have the same rights and we all have the same obligations to save one another. If we all apply this, we feel strong, because we are not alone. We are not alone in Gaza, although there are only two million of us inside Gaza, but we have tens of millions of supporters worldwide. So, in reality, we are a strong nation, a global community comprised of tens of millions of humans, all living together on one planet called Mother Earth, and that is why we should stand next to each other and support each other and this is the secret that gives us more strength and more hope for a better and brighter tomorrow.

M: Thank you so much, I have been reading comments from some of your students recently, and I saw one which said that you were the professor that taught us empathy, which I think you have shown through this discussion. I also want to congratulate you on the honourary FRCPE - Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and we look forward to welcoming you to Edinburgh soon to share that honour with you.

We are happy and relieved to share that, after 810 days of rendering noble services to patients inside Gaza, Khamis and his wife and six children have now reached safety in Oslo, Norway. They now face the new challenges of a new home in a new country, very different to the culture and climate of Palestine. Norway in winter means contending with lots of deep snow, something Khamis and his family are not used to, as well as the extremely expensive life in Oslo with new culture, new food and a new language.

Having lived through years of immense fear, massive losses in lives and assets, repeated displacement and violence from Israel, the adjustment to safety and security can be a surreal one. Khamis shared with us the words of his youngest son, who said to him “pinch my arm, pinch me so I can believe we got out of Gaza alive.”

We look forward to welcoming Khamis to Scotland soon and to continuing our work together, to keep supporting those still living in Gaza and West Bank, under the continued violence of Israel. If you would like to support Khamis, his family and our work in Gaza, please follow this link to our donation page, where you can select Gaza as the cause you wish to give to.

Hello friends and supporters, and happy New Year! We hope this year brings peace and joy to you all. As we look forward at the Cairdeas plans for this year, we want to share with you an exciting event coming up which we are looking forward to, and hope to see many of you there.

On February 7th, we will be co-hosting a palliative care conference, in partnership with Edinburgh University’s Global Health Academy & PallCHASE, in George Square, Edinburgh. Entitled ‘Palliative Care: Rethinking Coping, Exploring Hope, In the Midst of Conflict and Change’, the conference will focus on palliative care in fragile settings affected by conflict, and the support needed by patients and healthcare workers in these settings.

With humanitarian crises ongoing in Gaza and Sudan, this conference is a timely event speaking to vitally important issues. Over the past few years we have seen healthcare workers targeted in these and other regions, and it is critical that we are equipped to support them, so that they can continue to support their extremely marginalized patients.

The conference is host to an exciting line up of speakers, bringing expert knowledge and perspectives from all around the world. Featuring presentations by Rev. Rick Bauer, Dr. Nahla Gafer, Dr. Yasser Abu Jamieh & our own Medical Director, Dr. Mhoira Leng, we will hear perspectives from USA, Sudan, Gaza and Scotland.

As the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape continues to affect how countries co-exist and how responses to humanitarian emergencies are coordinated, having such a breadth of global perspectives makes this an invaluable opportunity to learn more about palliative care around the world.

Tickets are still available, and you can register now for this exciting event by clicking here! We also ask you to consider sharing with friends and colleagues who may be interested.

We look forward to seeing you in Edinburgh on February 7th!

As I stood in Manger Square in Bethlehem amidst the sparkle of the Christmas tree being lit, there was a palpable sense of joy, yet tempered by sorrow.

For 2 years the celebrations of Christmas have been cancelled…though of course not Christmas itself. The words of Maher Canawati, the Mayor of Bethlehem, a city twinned with Glasgow, spoke clearly;

 ‘As Bethlehem lights its Christmas tree, the deep anguish endured by our people in Gaza does not leave our hearts. The wound of Gaza is our wound, the people of Gaza are our people, and the light of Christmas has no meaning unless it first touches the hearts of the afflicted and the oppressed all over Palestine….Through these celebrations, Palestinians send a message of resilience – to say we are still here, determined to live, to keep Bethlehem the capital of Christmas, and to continue telling its story. Palestinians love life.”

His words speak into the deep meaning of Christmas. A time where there is joy, hope and love shared by us all because of the birth of a Saviour in Bethlehem, who was announced with great joy and great promise. They also speak of a deep longing in the land of the first Christmas for peace, for justice, for global solidarity and support from a people who show great courage and steadfastness. The word ‘sumud’ sums up this courage.

For many of us this time of year brings so much joy yet for others it is tinged with sadness as we remember loss, experience loneliness and long for hope, love, peace and reconciliation to be seen in our families, our communities, our nations and our world.

Palliative care has at its heart humanity; the recognition of each person being precious and unique and deserving of dignity, support and access to healthcare in their time of need. Our Cairdeas gathering recently showcased humanity and dignity as partners shared their work but also the values that underpin all they do and are. If you missed this encouraging event the videos are available on our website and will be shared on our social media pages soon. We pay tribute to all our incredible colleagues and partners in Uganda, Palestine, Sudan and India who show this humanity and offer dignified care in so many places and to so many people even in the most challenging of circumstances. We thank our supporters and commit once again to use whatever resources are given to us to work together with our partners for a world where palliative care is available to all in need.

More than ever this year we welcome financial support as a generous legacy from one of our original supporters will be nearing an end in 2026. Read below about our renewed fundraising efforts for 2026, and our February global palliative care conference.

Many of us will sing the carol O Little Town of Bethlehem this year, with the poignant words ‘Yet in thy dark streets shineth an everlasting light. The hope and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight. O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel! ’

As we celebrate in our different ways this Christmas, and at the end of 2025 with all its joys and sorrows, we also look forward to 2026 with hope. This hope is not mere wishful thinking but is both a deep reassurance and a call to action. I share a beautiful poem written by a Palestinian poet, Khawla Badwan.

‘There is no hope, be the action that restores hope

There is no justice, be the voice that speaks of justice

There is no courage, be the witness that lives in courage.

There is no light, be the holder that forces light

 There is no mercy, be the heart that teaches mercy.

There is no language, be the crafter that makes language.’

Wishing you and yours the blessing of joy, love and hope from the Prince of Peace this Christmas and every blessing for 2026.

Mhoira Leng

Medical Director

Upcoming in 2026

During the gathering, we shared some ways in which your donations go to making a difference in the lives of patients and carers in vulnerable communities. To help support the work of our partners and colleagues in crisis stricken places like Gaza and Sudan, please consider starting or increasing a regular donation, which you can do via our website, or through bank transfers: Sort Code 83-15-31, Account Number 11090398.

Looking to 2026, we are excited to be part-hosting a global palliative care conference on February 7^th in partnership with Edinburgh University’s Global Health Academy and PallCHASE. Taking place in George Square, Edinburgh, the conference will explore palliative care in the midst of conflict and change and will feature talks from Rev. Rick Bauer, Dr Nahla Gafer, Dr Yasser Abu Jamieh and Dr Mhoira Leng. This will be an important time of sharing between colleagues, to register for the event and get tickets, click here.