In a world where mothers are severely tested by illness and loss, one woman rose through the depths of heartbreak to become an inspiring voice for every mother fighting a silent battle behind closed doors. Hala Abbas, a Palestinian who has lived in the United Arab Emirates for over 25 years, carried her message from the heart of an incredibly rare and painful experience.

She was a mother to two sons, Mahmoud and Zain, who both suffered from a rare genetic disorder known as Mitochondrial Disease—a condition that affects the energy production in the body’s cells. Though the disease took away their ability to walk, eat, speak, or care for themselves, their cognitive abilities were unaffected. Their brilliant minds remained alive and expressive, and with the support of the UAE Ministry of Education, they were able to integrate into regular schools.

Mahmoud passed away in 2019, at the age of 12. Zain passed away in 2024, at the age of 15. The disease had gradually led to muscle weakness, wheelchair dependence, and full physical dependency. Hala took on the complete burden of care—transportation, education, speech therapy, occupational and physical therapy—learning techniques herself due to the high cost of treatments.

Despite their physical challenges, both boys excelled in education and creative activities. Mahmoud had an extraordinary memory and loved reading. In 2016, he participated in the Arab Reading Challenge, which allowed people of determination to compete by reading 25 books. Since Mahmoud was nonverbal, Hala would read aloud to him, repeat the stories, and help him link pictures to content. She trained him to write and express his thoughts through alternative methods.

When he faced the judging panel, Mahmoud amazed them with his intelligence and awareness. Although he didn’t win the final award, he was honored with a personal meeting with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who signed his certificate and invited him onstage with the winners from the seven Emirates.

After Mahmoud’s passing, Hala devoted herself to Zain’s artistic talents. Despite his limited hand mobility, he could replicate any image shown to him. He participated in UNICEF’s Blue Dot competition across the Middle East and North Africa, which featured seven weekly themes. Zain completed all his artworks, and four of his pieces were selected to be featured in a global digital book shared internationally.

Their story and condition became the reason Hala stepped into advocacy. She was driven by years of visiting hospitals, asking questions, and absorbing everything doctors said. Her home became both a therapy center and a classroom.

In 2021, Hala became a founding member of the MENA for Rare Diseases Congress, a regional initiative aiming to improve the lives of people with rare diseases and their families through lectures, workshops, and global expert sessions. She has been actively organizing the Congress from 2021 to 2025, and participated most recently from April 17 to 20, 2025.

She has been a speaker for two consecutive years, using her own story to uplift and educate other mothers. In 2025, she invited other mothers from Kuwait, Oman, Turkey, and the UAE to share their journeys publicly. For many of them, it was their first time opening up, and through Hala’s support, they discovered services and institutions—both governmental and private—within the UAE that could help them lighten their emotional and financial burdens.

"I may not be a doctor, but I’ve lived what doctors only study. I am the evidence that every mother can rise, even through unbearable pain."

After Zain’s death, Hala gave herself just one month to grieve. She leaned into her faith and stood back up to continue the work her sons had inspired. With renewed energy, she resumed organizing awareness events and building platforms that could carry Mahmoud and Zain’s message into the future.

Even during their lives, Hala focused on developing every ability they still possessed. She accompanied them to school daily and worked closely with educators and special education teachers to create individualized learning plans that met their needs.

Today, she continues to advocate for children of determination, particularly those with rare diseases, and for the families who care for them. She helps them connect with experts, understand available resources, and believe in the abilities that remain.

Her literary project is a tribute to those quiet, powerful moments that shaped her: the love, the loss, the fear, the strength, and the unbreakable will to continue. Her writing offers comfort to anyone who feels alone and reminds them that even in life’s darkest moments, there is light.

"Every person has a story worth telling, especially people of determination. They have struggled in silence for too long. Their voices deserve to be heard."

She ends her message with a plea to all families living this journey: “Don’t ask ‘what if.’ Don’t punish yourself. Cry—because crying heals. But remember: your child’s memory is alive. Every prayer, every tear, every act of love still reaches them. God was with you during their lives. He is with you now.”

To society, she says: “Look at these children not with pity, but with pride. They are not burdens. They are brilliance wrapped in struggle. And you, their parents, are heroes of a kind the world rarely sees.”

Through Voices of UAE, the legacy of Mahmoud and Zain, carried by their mother Hala, will continue to shine. Because their story was never just about illness. It was about love that refuses to be silenced.

They were light. And Hala, their mother, remains the keeper of that light.

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Their voices may have fallen silent. But their story still speaks.

If the journey of Hala Abbas, a mother who turned unimaginable grief into unstoppable purpose, has touched your heart, don't let it stop there.

Join her mission to raise awareness for children with rare diseases and support mothers walking the same path in silence.

Follow and support her ongoing efforts at @mahmoud_and_zain

Every follow is not just a number, it’s a hand on the shoulder.
Every share is a voice for a child who cannot speak.
Every message is hope for a mother who feels alone.

Be part of the light that Mahmoud and Zain lit.

Because even after they’re gone — their mission, their dreams, their legacy… lives on through you.

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