Tahreer’s Story

Building Resilience: When Children Find Their Circle

Tahreer Abed Sawaed, a science teacher and teacher trainer with Israel’s Ministry of Education, writes about the circles of impact created by Jeremy’s Circle after her young niece was diagnosed with cancer. What began as support for her nieces grew into something much wider, strengthening her family, inspiring Tahreer to become a volunteer, and showing her how shared pain can create bridges across Israeli society.

We are a very close-knit and united family. We always have been. Our ordinary lives were not so different from those of many other families, until that moment about four years ago when everything changed. In an instant, the sky fell in on us when my little niece, not yet two years old at the time, was diagnosed with cancer. The disease struck us like a devastating storm that no one could have prepared for.

My sweet little niece had to undergo very difficult treatments, at the end of which she lost one of her eyes. In the midst of this battle with cancer, I watched my sister collapse under the unimaginable emotional burden. A health crisis of this kind is like an earthquake: it does not affect only the patient, but everyone in the circle around them. I saw how all the physical and emotional resources were directed toward caring for the little one, and how, in the race to defeat the disease, the older girls, who were then in second, fifth, and sixth grade, were simply pushed aside.

My heart broke as I watched my nieces change before my eyes. The eldest, a girl who should have been busy with games and friends, suddenly took on a responsibility far beyond her years. She cared for her younger sisters, made sure they were looked after, and had everything they needed before she left for school. She became the responsible adult while she herself was still a child.

We Received a Gift from Heaven

Amid the chaos that had entered our lives, we suddenly received a ray of light. Through the hospital, we were introduced to Jeremy’s Circle. Today, looking back, I understand that this introduction was a gift from heaven. I decided to take my nieces to one of the organization’s activities, and already on that very first day, something wonderful happened: I saw their emotional state begin to change. The tense, heavy atmosphere that had accompanied us at home was replaced by smiles, laughter, and a sense of release I had not seen in them for many long months. I knew I had found the right place for them, a place that allowed them simply to be children.

I found a space for them where, for the first time since the illness began, they could shed the heavy role of “the sisters of the sick child.” The eldest could finally put her worries aside and give herself over to simple enjoyment, exactly as a child should. But the more I watched them from the side, the more I saw something else, something deeper and broader than emotional support for children and families. I saw how the organization’s circles of impact expand and become bridges within our Israeli society.

Cancer does not ask how old you are, what religion you belong to, or where you live. At the organization’s gatherings, the meeting between those who understand one another without words creates a rare openness of the heart. It is a space where religion and nationality are not barriers. We are all there, going through the hardship together, strengthening one another and growing out of shared pain, without words. It was moving to see my niece, a religious girl with a head covering, connecting naturally with a Jewish religious girl her age from Jerusalem. They danced together, laughed together, and without speaking about it at all, they understood each other’s pain.

We came to the activity hoping to find a little comfort and quiet, and we found so much more. We discovered human connections that cross cultures. I see how the seeds being planted today in my nieces’ hearts will continue to grow with them along the way. They are opening up to Israeli society, to its culture and language, in a natural way, and this will accompany them as they grow older and integrate into society. This activity will echo in their lives long after their sister’s illness is behind them. Because of it, they feel special, not because of the family crisis, but because of their personalities and their dreams.

The Inspiration to Give Back to the Community

Out of a deep sense of mission and gratitude for the change the organization brought about in my family, I felt that I wanted to take part in its work and contribute. Despite my busy schedule as a teacher and teacher trainer, I decided to join Jeremy’s Circle as an active volunteer. Today, I accompany transportation to events and build personal connections with the new families who join. This responsibility and direct connection remind me again and again of the meaning of giving.

This volunteering opened another window for me. Last summer, inspired by the organization, I decided to expand my activity on behalf of the community and volunteered with another organization in Be’er Sheva, where I used my professional skills to teach science to children coping with illness. Today, I understand deeply the great privilege of bringing joy to children and families whose lives have changed because of a health crisis. I understand those who are going through the same difficulties we experienced as a family.

Jeremy’s Circle has had an impact on my family, on me personally, and on the face of Israeli society. It strengthens children’s personal resilience and self-confidence, strengthens community resilience, and its circles of impact extend into Israeli society as a whole. These days, Jeremy’s Circle is launching a fundraising campaign, and this is your opportunity to join its circles of impact on children, families, and Israeli society as a whole.

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Tahreer Abd Su’ed is a member and volunteer with Jeremy’s Circle, an Israel-registered nonprofit that brings comfort, joy, and a sense of belonging to children and teens growing up with cancer or cancer loss in their immediate family. Through fun days, teen activities, summer camp, and meaningful connections with peers who understand what they are going through, Jeremy’s Circle helps children feel less alone — and gives them space to laugh, play, and simply be kids.