Bassam's Story - Social Cause Video by Moonshine Agency

Summary

The video script narrates the story of a 52-year-old man from Palestine who moved to Australia in 1981. He shares his experience with cancer, describing the physical and psychological pain it brings. Despite the lack of cure, he finds comfort in his faith, family, and palliative care, which he considers as important as treatment. He emphasizes the significance of palliative care in providing comfort and support, both physically and spiritually, helping him live his remaining days in peace.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The importance of palliative care is emphasized as it provides comfort and support, helping to alleviate worries and心理压力.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The speaker's family is a significant part of his life, with five children and six grandchildren, and he expresses deep love and gratitude for them.
• 🌏 The speaker migrated from Kuwait to Australia in 1981 seeking a better life, and he has found it to be a welcoming and supportive country.
• 💔 The shock and disbelief of a cancer diagnosis is palpable, especially when it comes with the news that there is no cure or treatment available.
• 🔍 Initially, the speaker was unaware of his cancer, mistaking symptoms for weight gain, until severe pain and numbness in his leg led to hospitalization and the discovery of the disease.
• 🗣️ The physical pain of cancer is described as intense and unbearable, akin to being stabbed with knives.
• 😔 The psychological pain of a cancer diagnosis is profound, leading to fear and contemplation of mortality.
• 🕌 Spirituality plays a crucial role in the speaker's coping mechanism, with a strong belief in God and seeking forgiveness and comfort.
• 🎶 Music and the support of loved ones are vital in helping the speaker maintain a positive outlook and continue living life to the fullest.
• 🏥 Palliative care is not just for the end of life; it's a way to enhance the quality of life, allowing the speaker to continue daily activities and be with his family.
• 🤝 The support system in palliative care extends beyond physical care to include spiritual and emotional support, as well as assistance with practical matters.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the video script?

The main theme of the video script is the importance of palliative care in providing comfort and support to individuals facing terminal illness.

How does the speaker view death?

The speaker views death as an inevitable part of life and is trying to make the most of the time left by turning the situation into a positive.

What is the speaker's background?

The speaker is a 52-year-old man originally from Palestine who migrated to Australia in 1981 at the age of 19, where he met his wife and started a family.

What was the speaker's initial reaction to the cancer diagnosis?

The speaker initially noticed an increase in abdomen size without pain, which led to a hospital visit where he was diagnosed with cancer after a CT scan for a suspected blood clot.

What type of cancer does the speaker have?

The speaker has a small round cell sarcoma, which is a type of cancer for which there is no cure, chemotherapy, or radiation treatment available.

What was the outcome of the cancer treatment trials the speaker participated in?

The speaker participated in three treatment trials, all of which unfortunately failed.

How does the speaker describe the physical pain from cancer?

The speaker describes the physical pain as being like being stabbed with knives all through the body, specifically in his abdomen where the cancer is located.

What is the psychological pain the speaker experiences due to cancer?

The psychological pain comes from the realization of the limited time left and the fear that starts to crawl into the heart and mind.

How does the speaker's faith help him cope with his situation?

The speaker finds comfort in his Muslim faith, talking to God as if He were in front of him, admitting his actions, asking for forgiveness, and seeking Heaven and paradise.

What does the speaker believe is important to do when facing a terminal illness?

The speaker believes it's important to fix relationships with loved ones, especially family, and express love and gratitude towards them.

How does the speaker view palliative care?

The speaker views palliative care as a continuation of life that makes it comfortable, allowing him to live out his days in peace, with support both physically and spiritually.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Life and Cancer Journey

The speaker, a 52-year-old man with a large family, discusses his life journey from Palestine to Australia. He shares his experience of discovering he has cancer after noticing his abdomen was enlarging and feeling pain in his abdomen and leg. Despite undergoing several unsuccessful trials, he maintains a positive outlook, focusing on spending quality time with his family and seeking spiritual comfort through his Muslim faith.

05:01

🕊️ Palliative Care and Spiritual Support

The speaker emphasizes the importance of palliative care, which he sees as a vital part of his treatment. He explains how it helps manage his physical pain and provides spiritual support. He also talks about the psychological impact of his diagnosis and how he is trying to make amends with his loved ones. His family initially struggled with the news but has since become supportive. The speaker highlights the misconception that palliative care is only for the end stage of life, arguing it's about living comfortably with the disease.

Keywords

💡Palliative care

Palliative care refers to medical care focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. It is not curative but aims to improve quality of life. In the video, the speaker discusses how palliative care helps take the worry out of their mind, emphasizing its importance in making their life comfortable despite a terminal illness.

💡Cancer

Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. The script mentions the speaker's diagnosis of a small round cell sarcoma, a type of cancer, and the lack of treatment options, highlighting the severity of their condition.

💡Australia

Australia is the country where the speaker migrated to in 1981, seeking opportunities and a better life. It is portrayed as a place of freedom and human rights, and the speaker expresses deep love for the country and its people, which is central to their personal narrative.

💡Migrating

Migrating refers to moving from one country or region to another, typically for permanent residence. The speaker's migration to Australia at the age of 19 is a pivotal moment in their life story, symbolizing a quest for a better future and the start of a new life.

💡Family

Family is a central theme in the video, with the speaker mentioning their spouse, children, and grandchildren. Family support is crucial during the speaker's illness, and they emphasize the importance of expressing love and gratitude towards them, especially in the face of a terminal diagnosis.

💡Psychological pain

Psychological pain refers to emotional suffering or distress, often caused by a significant life event or trauma. The speaker describes the fear and anxiety that comes with a cancer diagnosis, illustrating how it affects not just the body but also the mind.

💡Spiritual support

Spiritual support involves guidance and comfort derived from religious or philosophical beliefs. The speaker, being a Muslim, finds solace and peace through prayer and connection with God, which is integral to their coping mechanism during their illness.

💡Pain management

Pain management is a medical approach to alleviating pain and discomfort. The speaker discusses the physical pain from cancer, likening it to being stabbed with knives, and how palliative care helps manage this pain, allowing them to live more comfortably.

💡Cultural background

Cultural background refers to the customs, beliefs, and practices that come from a person's ethnic, national, or social group. The speaker's origin from Palestine and living in Kuwait before migrating to Australia shapes their identity and life experiences, which are woven into their story.

💡Acceptance

Acceptance is the process of coming to terms with a difficult or challenging situation. The speaker's family initially struggles with the diagnosis but eventually accepts it, supporting the speaker in their journey, which is a testament to the resilience of human relationships.

💡Quality of life

Quality of life refers to an individual's overall well-being and satisfaction with life. The video emphasizes the importance of maintaining a good quality of life despite illness, through palliative care and the support of loved ones.

Highlights

Palliative care is as important as the treatment itself, aiming to alleviate mental stress.

The inevitability of death is acknowledged, and the focus is on making the remaining time positive.

The speaker, a 52-year-old man, shares his family background and love for his wife and children.

Originally from Palestine, he migrated to Australia in 1981 for better opportunities.

He met his wife in Australia, and despite initial opposition, they've had a happy marriage.

He was diagnosed with a small round cell sarcoma, an incurable cancer without treatment options.

He participated in three clinical trials, all of which unfortunately failed.

Cancer pain is described as twofold: physical from the cancer itself and psychological from the reality of mortality.

The physical pain is likened to being stabbed with knives, especially in the abdomen.

Psychological pain stems from the fear and reality of limited time left.

The speaker finds comfort in his faith and connection with God.

He emphasizes the importance of mending relationships and expressing love to family.

Despite the diagnosis, the speaker maintains a positive outlook, walking and laughing.

Palliative care is portrayed as essential for comfort and maintaining a good quality of life.

Palliative care is not just for the end stage; it's for continuing life comfortably.

The speaker carries a pump for pain medication, which allows him to live life actively.

Palliative care offers spiritual support through chaplains and practical help from social workers.

The speaker views palliative care as a treatment that helps live the last days in peace.

Transcripts

[Music]

palliative care

is more important or as important as the

treatment itself they're there to take

the worry out of your mind

we're all gonna die regardless

so the first possessive thing out of

this that I know my time is coming soon

and I don't have much time left

I'm gonna have to take

like advantage of this situation

and change it into positive

my name is

I'm 52 years old

married I've got five kids four boys one

girl

and beautiful six grandkids

I'm originally from Palestine

my dad and mom resided in Kauai I lived

with them finished my high school in

Kuwait

and I noticed that there is no future

for me in Kuwait

so I looked around to see a country with

that's got some rights for humans

freedom

opportunities and so on and I settled

for Australia lucky decision was back in

1981. I applied they accepted me I came

to Australia migrated back in 1981 I was

only 19 then

during that year I met my beautiful wife

she was 17.

working in a fruit shop

and I got along we got married

most of the family was against us they

said you too young won't work but we

proved that they were wrong it worked

and it's been a lovely life in Australia

I love it it's my country

and the people in it are one of the best

people around

they're down to earth they'll go out of

their way to help you out

the everything night

I didn't know anything about the cancer

all I noticed that my abdomen was

getting bigger and bigger and bigger and

I thought I was eating too much I wanted

to change my diet because I had being

fat

no pain whatsoever

on a Thursday I felt a little pain sharp

pain in the lower part of my abdomen

and then I ignored it it didn't last

long

on Friday the pain came back

by Saturday my left leg started hurting

me

during work

and then became so numb I couldn't even

move it so I went to hospital and they

looked at my leg because the color

starts to change and they said it's a

blood clot we need to do a CT scan

and see exactly where it is

and that's when they came back with the

results and they said mate don't worry

about the blood clot now for now

you have cancer

I was diagnosed with a small round cell

sarcoma

unfortunately there's no cure for it

no chemo treatment or radiation

treatment so they asked me to do some

trials

which I did the three of them

and unfortunately they all failed they

were taught a failure

but this is live

la

La cancers

[Music]

is made of two types of pain

and they're both bad but one is worse

than other

you get the first pane which is the

organ pain from the cancer itself the

augment that's been affected

with cancer

and the best way to describe it is like

someone stabbing you with knives

all through your body where the the

cancer is with me it's my abdomen so the

whole of the abdomen this is not fat

this is actually the actual cancer

itself

and the pain goes always down towards my

bladder prostate groin area and so on

the other pan you get from cancer

is the

psychological pain

news like this makes you

think of reality that

you run you're actually running out of

time

and uh

you don't know what to do

fear starts

crawling to your your heart

your mind and then I realized that

there is another life

it can't be this our life here can't be

just eat sleep work

and no justice

I'm a Muslim

I've always been close to God uh I

talked to God

as if I'm talking to someone in front of

me

and I admit what I've done and asking

forgiveness

and seek

his Heaven his paradise

which comforts me a lot

one of the things that will come

straight to your mind that you're living

and you're living soon

is to fix things up between you and the

closest people to you

especially your misses your kids

the ones you love most

and it does help a lot and doesn't hurt

to go to them and tell them how much you

love them

and how grateful you are to them

if it wasn't for my music's help and his

support is standing up by me I wouldn't

make it

my family and the more at the beginning

they were shocked

they took it hard

they start crying

and then they got over it slowly

uh they're against me saying no to an

operation they're against me saying no

to more Trials of keema they want me to

keep on trying

because they don't want to leave me they

don't want they don't want me to leave

them in other words

uh

they got over it at the moment they're

only supporting me with everything I

want

Allah

a lot of people now think that I'm

healthy and I'm being accused from

cancer because I'm walking back again

and I'm smiling and laughing eating

palliative care is not the end stage

it's a continuation for your life and

therefore

they make your life comfy real comfy and

you need it instead of being in bed sick

in agony screaming of pain you're out

walking out and about you're with your

loved ones you can go shopping you can

go home

there's nothing wrong with carrying a

pump

that gives me a dose of painkillers

every hour

comes part of you but it gives you that

chance to live life and go out

palliative care is very important

this is the physical part of it

they have the preachers there

you can't get anyone that to help you

out spiritually

and they're there for you 24 hours they

have the social workers there as well

to help you out with your everyday

Affairs if you need anything with

Centrelink or government issues your

will whatever they're there to help you

out in my opinion palliative care is a

treatment

especially spiritually

they help you to live your last days in

peace

[Music]

[Music]