Médecins Sans Frontières - ENG - Ali, Thalassemia patient

Unique Identifier Code / URN MSF367743

Date taken / Date Recorded 11/05/2026 1:22 PM

Country Syria

Photographer / videographer / producer Asil Sari

Copyright MSF

Usage Rights (MSF) External Media, MSF Fundraising, MSF Publications, Social Media

Formal Consent Copy available no

Editor's rating ★★★ (F)

Video format h264 (Main) (avc1 / 0x31637661)

Duration 1m15s

Maximum Size 1080px × 1920px 178.54 MB

Additional Information / Shotlist 00:00:00:28 - 00:00:03:10
Hello, I am Ali, a thalassemia patient
and I consider the disease a friend

00:00:03:10 - 00:00:05:14
I have been living with thalassemia since I was six months old

00:00:05:14 - 00:00:08:28
over the years, I have learned
how to cope with it

00:00:08:28 - 00:00:12:14
and I am facing the challenges
it brings into my life.

00:00:12:14 - 00:00:15:02
I used to experience some harassment

00:00:15:02 - 00:00:16:29
this was due to some differences
in my physical build

00:00:16:29 - 00:00:21:20
in general, a person who is different is always the center of attention.

00:00:21:20 - 00:00:24:29
One day, Ali returned home
from the library

00:00:25:22 - 00:00:27:09
he was desperate
and extremely sad

00:00:27:25 - 00:00:30:22
I asked him, “What’s wrong?
I can feel it when you are sad!”

00:00:31:12 - 00:00:33:14
I insisted that he tell me,
and I found out why

00:00:36:03 - 00:00:39:06
it was because someone
asked him why his eyes were yellow

00:00:39:06 - 00:00:42:20
and why does your skin look pale?
he was very desperate.

00:00:43:01 - 00:00:49:08
Now I do not feel that there is any difference between me and any other person

00:00:50:06 - 00:00:51:25
I am like anyone else

00:00:52:20 - 00:00:56:21
I learn, I exercise, and I go to university

00:00:57:01 - 00:00:59:04

00:00:59:04 - 00:01:02:02
to provide help to patients
suffering from thalassemia

00:01:02:02 - 00:01:05:17
and to be a support for
children in the future

00:01:06:05 - 00:01:10:16
I am a normal person, and every person with thalassemia is a normal person

00:01:10:23 - 00:01:13:23
but they have a special condition
and need to take care of it.