Bahija, Morocco

My name is Bahija GOUIMI, the President and Founder of AMAL, an organization based in Marrakech, Morocco, dedicated to supporting cancer patients. Today, I want to take you through my journey—one of resilience, transformation, and unwavering commitment to advocacy.

In 2002, while pregnant, I received devastating news: I was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)—a rare type of blood cancer. The shock was overwhelming, but what terrified me most was the thought of losing my baby. As if the diagnosis wasn’t enough, I will never forget the doctor’s words: "You have only three years to live."

At that time in Morocco, there were no available treatments for CML, no patient organizations, and no real support systems. My family and I faced immense challenges due to the centralization of care, meaning access to treatment required exhausting travel.

Despite my illness, I had to juggle multiple responsibilities—being a mother to my three children, maintaining my job, and traveling more than 1,400 km over four days each month just to receive the lifesaving treatment I desperately needed. The long journeys were physically and emotionally draining, but they also became a space for self-reflection.

During those difficult times, I turned to writing as a form of therapy—what I now call my “low-cost therapy.” Writing became my refuge, my way of processing emotions, healing, and rediscovering my strength. Today, I am incredibly proud to have published four books, each reflecting my journey and the lessons I’ve learned.

In hospital waiting rooms, I saw firsthand the deep inequities in healthcare. Many patients were illiterate, lacked health insurance, and had no access to treatment or clinical trials. There was no cancer data, no research, and no one advocating for our rights.

This injustice pushed me to take action. I started engaging with other patients, caregivers, and physicians, attending trainings, medical conferences, and advocacy meetings to educate myself, build a network, and amplify the voices of those who were unheard.

All these experiences led me to dedicate my life to founding AMAL. I transformed my personal struggle into a collective mission for change—to ensure that no other patient would have to go through what I endured alone.

In 2022, we took a major step forward by building and inaugurating DAR AL AMAL, a patient facility providing dignity, accommodation, and support for cancer patients and their families who travel long distances for treatment.

Through my journey, I have learned never to underestimate my voice, my story, or my ability to create change. We, as patients, can move mountains, inspire hope, and empower others to fight for their rights.

I will always remember the moment when I finally received my first box of targeted therapy—a breakthrough medication that changed the course of CML treatment. I was overjoyed and proud to show it to my physician, thinking: "Look! I am a hero for bringing this medication to Morocco for the first time."

But as I glanced around the waiting room and saw other patients still without access to treatment, my joy quickly turned into guilt. I quietly hid my medication box.

That small act of hiding my medication became my first act of advocacy—because I knew that having access to treatment should not be a privilege, but a right for all.

Today, I stand before you not just as a cancer survivor, but as a patient advocate, a changemaker, and a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. My journey has taught me that even in the face of adversity, we can transform pain into purpose and build a future where no patient is left behind.

Advocacy is essential because NOTHING FOR US WITHOUT US.

Thank you.