Dr Ala Shammala

Hello Everyone, My name is Alaa, a dentist from Gaza. I want to share what it means to be a dentist in Gaza. Life here is incredibly fragile; at any moment, everything—your life, studies, work, home, university—can be taken from you. This is what happened to me.

Before October 7th, I had numerous dreams and plans to advance in my field. I aimed to receive training in various areas of dentistry, attend international conferences, and prepare for my Master’s degree. I always dreamt of opening my own dental clinic. But the war shattered all these dreams. I found myself simply wishing for a bit of rest and some water, just wanting to stay alive. Thankfully, I did survive, but my dreams did not.

I lost my home, the place where I grew up, my cherished room, and our living room where my siblings and I used to enjoy afternoon tea and conversations. I lost my beloved dental tools, purchased with passion. It didn’t end there. I lost the clinic where I practiced and my university. Many of my relatives and friends are gone. During the war, I lived in constant fear, worried that I would be the next to die. Waiting for death is much scarier than death itself! I was terrified something might happen to my family, and I cannot imagine life without them. We faced extreme shortages of everything: electricity, food, water, and internet. Even the air was thick with gunpowder. We lacked everything, except death.

After several attempts, my family and I managed to reach safety in Egypt. I thought this would be a respite, but I am still haunted by nightmares of the war. The only way to break free from this cycle is to regain some normalcy in my life. Unfortunately, I cannot register with any university here or practice dentistry without my certificate from my home university. I have outstanding fees, but my family can no longer afford to pay them as we struggle to meet daily needs.

By contributing to my campaign, no matter how small your donation, you will help me obtain my certificate and restart my life. Thank you so much for reading my story and considering supporting me during these difficult times.