FIGHTING CANCER WITH COLOURS AND A PAINTBRUSH: In Basra, a young cancer patient highlights a public health crisis

By Nagham Maki in Basra

At Basra’s Children’s Hospital, Yusuf Abbas has found a way to cope with the challenges of battling cancer. The 11-year-old is working through his pain and stress by painting and some of his work is now displayed in a small exhibition at the hospital.

One of the paintings shows a person hugging himself. “It represents the fear of how people react to cancer patients,” Yusuf explains, “and their tendency to distance themselves from that person.”

Another of his works — a striking image of a child wearing a mask with black smoke emerging from his head, which represents the black smoke from burning gas — is a familiar sight in Basra.

Two years ago, Yusuf was diagnosed with leukaemia after experiencing a high fever, abdominal swelling, persistent vomiting and a loss of appetite.

“Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are a big part of his routine now,” says Yusuf’s father, Wissam Abbas. “These treatments cause hair loss and severe pain but Yusuf has found comfort in painting. He spends hours in his hospital bed, lost in a colorful world.”

Wissam says he was surprised when he first saw a drawing on the back of one of Yusuf’s books. “He seemed like a professional artist,” Yusuf’s father accounts. “We were thrilled, and I encouraged him to develop his art.”

By the age of five, Yusuf was already using his art to tell stories and his school even put on a show with his works.

Yusuf is just one of many children in Basra who have been impacted by the devastating environmental pollution there. Local doctor, Adel al-Naimi, says that pollution from factory emissions and from gas flaring has clearly contributed to a rise in cancer rates in the region. Oil extraction operations in Basra are a significant source of pollution.

“Toxic chemicals in the air, such as fine particles, can trigger cancerous cells,” Al-Naimi explained. “We’ve seen a noticeable increase in cancer cases in Basra, likely linked to exposure to these pollutants.”

Respiratory diseases like asthma and bronchitis are also on the rise, he adds. “Continuous exposure to pollutants can also lead to general health deterioration and an increase in chronic illnesses,” he noted.

A 2021 study by Maysan University showed that Basra had the highest rate of cancer cases in Iraq, with 76.3 people in every 100,000 suffering from the disease in 2020. The data also shows a significant increase in cancer cases from 2015 to 2021.

Mahdi al-Tamimi, director of the High Commission for Human Rights in Basra, warns that the situation could worsen. “Around 9,000 to 10,000 cancer cases occur annually in the province, and this number could rise if conditions don’t improve,” he argues.

Al-Naimi stresses that because of the pollution, Basra is facing a public health crisis and he believes that there should be stricter measures introduced to reduce emissions and improve air quality.

Meanwhile back at Basra Children’s Hospital, where staff are dealing with the effects of such pollution, Iman Salah, a psychological counselor there, emphasizes the importance of psychological support in cancer treatment. “A patient’s mental state is crucial for successful treatment. They need to be in a good mental state, away from despair,” she explains.

“I created a supportive environment for my own daughter, who is a cancer patient,” Salah said. “Cancer patients are very sensitive and can feel love and encouragement. For Yusuf, being encouraged to paint and express his feelings through art has been key to his treatment.”

Yusuf’s talent has inspired many, says Haider Jabar, director of the Ghaith al-Ihsan Humanitarian Foundation, which organized the exhibition of Yusuf’s artworks. “Yusuf’s paintings tell the story of the battle between cancer and hope for recovery,” he says.

Yusuf’s paintings will eventually be auctioned to support other children with cancer. And as for Yusuf, himself, he still dreams of his future, perhaps as an engineer and an artist, capturing his emotions through color and structure.