In the town of Halhul and in front of one of the modest rural houses the situation was unusual. Dozens of men and women gathered at the entrance of the house of Yusuf Al-Qashqish waiting for the high school exam results (known as achievement) all crying in joy and sorrow at the same time.
The holder of the result was not there. She was the outstanding student Nada Yousef Mohammed Al-Qashqish who is lying on a hospital bed at Almutali hospital near Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
Nada was diagnosed with leukemia. She learned of her illness a few days before the exams. The results were quickly announced and her family was crying for her. Her mother fainted because she wished that Nada would share the joy with them in the best of her health.
Nada won a world-class qualification in the Reading Challenge contest held in Dubai recently. She won the third ranking in Palestine. she is fluent in English and French.
Nada insisted on doing her exams from her hospital bed despite the opposition of her parents who were keen on following up her treatment which exhausts her body and psychology but she was determined to defy her weakness achieving a great success despite her illness obtaining an excellent percentage of 98.4% in the Arts section.
“I am really ill and I was shocked by my illness but I was determined to continue studying and excel. My will was stronger than cancer and my belief that my life is in God’s hands was the motivation to do my exams from the hospital” Nada told the PIC in an exclusive interview.
“Despite my parents’ opposition due to their concern for my health I was determined to study for my exams and I sat for them. I did the exams with confidence. I was convinced that I will excel and I thank them for supporting me despite their concern for my health.”
“I would like to get a scholarship to study languages at Bethlehem University” she said. “I love languages and I am fluent in English and French. Thank you very much my parents teachers for supporting me” she said.
A sports teacher for 29 years at Halhul schools Yousef Al-Qashqish Nada’s father was joyful and full of pleasure for the success of his daughter and at the same time his eyes were teary and full of grief over her illness.
Al-Qashqish said in an interview with the PIC reporter that “the will and determination of Nada and her victory over her disease made me forget about her health situation which is painful. I knew my daughter’s determination and will I tried to convince her not to sit for the exams and to pay attention to her health and treatment but she insisted on continuing her study and said to me: “Baba I will succeed and make you and my mother rejoice and I will celebrate my success and recovery with my friends one day.”
Muntaha Al-Qashqish Nada’s mother was happy and sad at the same time for her daughter but she said: “Nada’s success is a gift from God so that our sadness and grief would be made easy. I stayed with her day and night and made sure she had the best study atmosphere inside her room in the hospital to achieve excellence and success as usual. Despite disease and harsh treatment with chemotherapy and intravenous injection Nada succeeded and excelled.”
