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Launching SHBPP's student volunteer initiative Khelkhal
Khelkhal is an initiative from the Salim El-Hoss Bioethics and Professionalism Program at the AUB Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, which aims to support the Medical Humanism Fund through fundraising initiatives, raise public awareness, and develop an understanding of bioethics, with volunteer involvement. With volunteers being the lifeblood of its program, Khelkhal aspires to continue its mission, hand in hand, to create a better tomorrow for unfortunate victims of poverty, negligence, and medical errors, and a pathway to a multi-faceted approach of ethics learning through fundraising, academic and non-academic events.
In 2022, Khelkhal organized a number of fundraising and outreach activities under the outstanding leadership of
Mr. Bashar Hassan and Mr. Joseph El Bachour, with the help of the program’s dedicated and passionate student
volunteers.
Meet the Cabinet!
Meet the subcommittees!
The Core Team
• President: Joseph El Bachour
• Vice president: Dounya Farhoud:
• Liason Officer: Lynn Moghrabi, Victor Ghazy
• Secretary: Celine Mehdi
• Treasurer: Reem Faraj
• Sergeant of Arms: Leyah Farhat
• Member at large: Maria Abou Mansour,
Christina Nohra, Maria Asmar
• Social Media Manager: Lyn El Merhebi
• Graphic Designer: Tsoline Kevorkian
The Subcommittees
• Audiology Subcommittee Head: Reine Zankar
• Education Subcommittee head: Mohamad Wehbeh
• Team members: Nour Awad and Fatima Tabaja
• Outreach and Awareness Subcomittee head: Sara
Omran
• Team members: Dima Itani, and Maria Sayegh
• Hearing aids and database Subcommittee head:
Jamal Serhal
• Team members: Hala Haj Ibrahim, Norine El Chakni,
Tala El Cheikh, Dima Shoker, and Hadi Ismail
• Pediatrics Subcommittee head: Jean Marc Jreissati
• Volunteer managers: Dima Bsat and Christopher Ashy
• Logistics managers: Hassan Soufan and Carol Saryeddine
• Hemodialysis Subcommittee head: Lynn Tfaily
• Volunteer managers:Jana Moussali and Rita Jreige
• Logistics managers: Leen Gebau and Karen Zeitouny
• Bioethics Education Subcommittee head:
Calista Joan Micheal
• Content managers: Celina Abou Jaoude and
Malak Ahmad
• Logistics managers: Yara Yammine and Julien Jreissati
Khelkhal activities:
IC students volunteering in “Kan Ma Kan” initiative
(January 7, 2022)
Purpose:
Volunteers spread the Christmas spirit among
pediatrics patients at the AUBMC Outpatient
Department (OPD) pediatric unit, singing Christmas
carols and coloring Christmas-themed coloring
pages with the children.
Khelkhal’s outreach initiative with International
--College Ras Beirut Middle School “
صباح الخري والزيت و الزعرت
(January 11, 2022)
Purpose:
Outreach collaboration with the IC Middle School to
help provide food for the students at public schools.
IC students collected generous food boxes which
were delivered to Waqf Al Hamidy in Tripoli, to be
distributed to students of the less privileged schools
in the area.
“ Learning Sign Language: Basics” workshop
(February 5, 2022)
Purpose:
“Learning Sign Language: Basics” workshop was
given by certified member Reine Zankar & Nabih Al
Khatib Academy to volunteer students.
Khelkhal Valentine’s day bake sale
(February 14, 2022)
The Mother’s Day Hara Sale (March 16-17 2022)
Purpose:
In another joint effort between Khelkhal and the
Medical Humanism Fund Committee, the Ḫara
sale (which is our term for garage sale) under the
name “الخري حارة “was organized to collect money
for the Medical Humanism Fund which has been
one of the major sources for paying for treatment
of patients who cannot afford it at AUBMC.
Hemodialysis and mother’s day cookie sale
(March 21, 2022)
Purpose:
Mother’s day and hemodialysis awareness for
students and staff. The bake sale aimed to raise
money for the Khelkhal cabinet to support future
activities.
Hemodialysis orientation (April 7, 2022)
Purpose:
On World Health Day, Thursday, April 7th, 2022,
the Khelkhal Hemodialysis Subcommittee held an
orientation session for everyone to get familiarized
with the new volunteering initiative.
Volunteers entertained the patients and keep
them company during their long and winding
treatment sessions.
Khelkhal x EndoInArabic Seminar (March 23,2022)
Purpose:
The endometriosis awareness session for AUB
students, was hosted by Khelkhal in collaboration
with EndoInArabic to shed light on the rarely
discussed, but very highly prevalent disease. This
session provided evidence-based information, as
well as potential resources for extra information
and medical guidance.
Humblebee x Khelkhal (March 26,2022)
Purpose:
Khelkhal collaborated with Humblebee, a studentled clinic that offers free healthcare services for
pediatric patients, to help entertain and support
children during their visit to the pediatrics clinics.
PSPA Student Society in a new initiative called “ايد
لبعض بإيد “x Khelkhal (April 12-April 14)
Purpose:
Khelkhal collaborated with the PSPA Student
Society at AUB in a new initiative called “بإيد ايد
لبعض “to collect all kinds of donations (clothes,
toys, books, stationary, canned food…) for the new
local NGO “لبعض.“
Psych Society x Khelkhal
(October 24-October 28, 2022)
Purpose:
Khelkhal collabored with the Psych student society
for a fundraising bake sale. All proceeds were
used to secure winter kits for needy families such
as blankets and clothes with the help of the NGO
Ruwwad Al Tanmeya in Lebanon.
Kelkhal Awards/pins ceremony
In order to give thanks to the Khelkhal cabinet and all the students who volunteered throughout the year, a
small gathering and ceremony was held on November 10, 2022, in which the students received certificates of
appreciation and a lapel pin of the Khelkhal logo. Students also shared some of their most notable and inspiring
moments from their volunteer experiences.
Khelkhal's Portfolio 2021 2022.pdf
Khelkhal's Portfolio 20202021.pdf
Launched in December 2019, Khelkhal is a student volunteer initiative from the SHBPP, which aims to support the Medical Humanism Fund through fundraising initiatives, raising public awareness, and developing an understanding of bioethics. With volunteers being the lifeblood of its program, Khelkhal aspires to continue its mission, hand in hand, to create a better tomorrow for unfortunate victims of poverty, negligence, and medical errors, and a pathway to a multi-faceted approach of ethics learning through fundraising, academic and non-academic events. In 2020, Khelkhal organized a number of fundraising and outreach activities under the outstanding leadership of medical student Mr. Bashar Hassan, and with the help of the programme's dedicated and passionate student volunteers.
Khelkhal Portfolio.pdf
Khelkhal's Food and Clothes Drive (February 9-23, 2020
- Khelkhal's Book Drive (March 3-6, 2020)
MoPH COVID-19 Call
Center (April 11, 2020).
"Speak Up: Dare to
make your voices heard" (May 17, 2020)
Khelkhal's Trivia (June 18, 2020)
Khelkhal's aid collaboration for victims of the Beirut
Blast (August 9 – October 24, 2020)
- Collaboration with Red Oak (August 17, 2020 - ongoing)
- "You've Got a Friend in Me" Initiative (November 8, 2020 - present)
· Khelkhal's Christmas Fundraiser (December 2- 31, 2020)
31, 2020)
- Weekly Ethical Dilemmas (ongoing)
Certificates of Appreciation for Khelkhal 2019-2020 Volunteers
Upon completion of their participation in the activities for 2019-2020, Khelkhal volunteers received a certificate of appreciation for their efforts signed by Dr. Thalia Arawi (November 30, 20
20).
Fundraising with Khelkh
al
.
Khelkhal’s collaboration with “Red Oak” and “
Bassma” (January 4, 2021)
Purpose:
This initiative aimed to support and listen to people
who experienced the Beirut blast trauma and to help
children cope with online learning as well as music,
dance and art therapy
“Heart for a Cause” Fundraiser (Feb 7, 2021)
Purpose:
This fundraising initiative aimed at selling chocolates
on the occasion of Valentine’s Day from which
proceeds were used to buy food boxes and
medication to families in need.
Khelkhal’s collaboration with “Offre Joie”
(March 15 - 20, 2021)
Purpose:
In support of resuming efforts to continue the
rehabilitation works following the Beirut blast, this
event took place at the reconstruction sites of
Qarantina and Mar Mikhael whereby volunteers
helped in transporting building materials, painting
walls, fixing doors and more.
Khelkhal’s collaboration with the Medical
Humanism Fund (April 27 - 28, 2021)
Purpose:
On occasion of World Immunization Week, a
fundraiser sale was held in front of the AUB Saab
Medical Library from which proceeds were used to
support the MHF to help patients who are in need.
Khelkhal’s collaboration with “Feed the Need”
(April 27, 2021)
Purpose:
During the holy month of Ramadan, Khelkhal
collaborated with “Feed the Need” to support
families in need by providing meals and entertainment
at a local orphanage.
Khelkhal’s collaboration with FoodBlessed
(April 13 - May 12, 2021)
Purpose:
The “Fund a Feast” initiative also took place during
the holy month of Ramadan in collaboration with
FoodBlessed to organize a food donation drive to
help needy families.
Khelkhal’s outreach collaboration with the
International College Ras Beirut and “4 All Causes” NGO (May 1, 2021)
Purpose:
A clothing and food donations drive was organized to
help people in need.
The Gaza Bookshop Book Drive (June - July 2021)
Purpose:
Khelkhal volunteers contributed to the book drive
for the Gaza bookshop initiated by SHBPP, whereby
books were collected and donated to The Samir
Mansour bookshop that was destroyed in the Gaza
strip conflict in May 2021. Thanks to Mr. Khaled
Kobayaa who picked up the boxes from SHBPP
library and flew them all the way to Gaza.
Global Medical Ethics Day Activity
(September 20, 2021)
Purpose:
Khelkhal volunteers organized a bioethics activity for
medical students at the Saab Medical Library to
commemorate the World Medical Ethics Day on
September 18, 2021 and raise awareness on the
importance of Ethics in Medicine and Biomedical
research. Trivia-style questions and opinions were
surveyed on medical and non-medical students
around the university.
Kan Ya Makan Pediatrics Initiative (October 13 -
December 7, 2021)
Purpose:
This initiative was established to provide
entertainment and stress relief to patients of the
AUBMC Pediatrics Outpatient Department.
Volunteers from Khelkhal’s Volunteering Program
read books and played games with the patients,
helping to alleviate their anxiety prior to their
clinic visit, and supporting the parents during the
waiting time.
The Ḫara Sale (October 25, 2021)
Purpose:
In another joint effort between Khelkhal and the
Medical Humanism Fund Committee, the Ḫara
Sale (which is our term for garage sale) under the
name “الخري حارة “was organized to collect money
for the Medical Humanism Fund which has been
one of the major sources for paying for treatment
of patients who cannot afford it at AUBMC. Donated
items were collected from donors from inside and
outside AUB throughout the month of October,
and these items were later sold in the garage sale
held in front of the Saab Medical Library.
Khelkhal’s outreach initiative with International
College Ras Beirut Middle School
صباح الخري و الزيت و الزعرت
(January 11, 2022)
Purpose:
Another outreach collaboration with the IC Middle
School to help provide food for the students at
public schools who have been forced to go without
daily meals at school due to the extreme crisis that
the country is going through. IC students collected
generous food boxes which were delivered to Waqf
Al Hamidy in Tripoli, to be distributed to students of
the less privileged schools in the area. Great thanks
to Mrs. Nour Nasr, IC’s community service director,
for coordinating with us and helping kick-off this
initiative with high spirits.
Kan Ya Makan Christmas activity
(December 13 - 17, 2021)
Purpose:
This special edition of the Pediatrics volunteering
program included a bit of Christmas cheer, with
decorations and carols, as well as coloring sheets
and songs. Volunteers spread the Christmas spirit
with pediatrics patients at Outpatient Department
(OPD) pediatric unit, singing Christmas carols and
coloring Christmas-themed coloring pages with
the children.
Weekly Ethical Dilemmas
This was a series of social media posts targeting the most recent “hot topics” in bioethics of medicine and
advancements. The campaign provided awareness about the subjects and a series of polls to survey public
opinion and stimulate debate. Subjects included: Neonatal Gene Sequencing; Abortion; Physician Transparency;
Physician Assisted Death and Euthanasia; Animal Xenotransplantation, among other exciting topics