On World Cancer Day: Exploring Real Narratives In Egyptian Movies and Series

Throughout our lives, we face a lot of challenges, be it family, social, career, or health. One of the most fierce health challenges that one could deal with is cancer. 

In an attempt to unite people and create public awareness to promote early detection, prevention, and treatment, ‘World Cancer Day’ was born 24 years ago on February 4, 2000.

Today, this initiative is led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), reminding everyone that whoever and wherever you are, you could be taking an active role in this cause.

Your role could be as simple as providing support for those in need, for fighters who are going through this hectic journey. Besides medical intervention, they also need to prioritize their emotional well-being and boost their strength through the power of people and community.

Powerful as art is, it has the ability to touch the hearts and minds of people and relate to their pain in life, fostering unity. So, here are some Egyptian cancer-themed movies and series that shed light on the emotional rollercoaster and highlight the profound impact of support on our holistic understanding of the disease.

Enta Omry

Ballet, family, and romance – all these intertwine in this symphonic 2004 movie. United by cancer, the husband and father, Youssef, played by Hany Salama, and the ballerina Shams, portrayed by Nelly Karim, embark on a romantic journey that directly influences their well-being. 

The movie explores how love and support can be the reasons for a ‘good’ prognosis in the treatment of a disease. 

Halawet El Donia

The keyword is ‘support.’ The iconic Hend Sabry, playing Amina in this heartfelt series, shows us how our ‘relationships’ with the people around us affect us, especially after being ‘just diagnosed’ with cancer.

Sabry’s character was actually preparing for her wedding, so instead of anticipating the ‘just married’ logo, she looks at life with a totally different perspective following her diagnosis. We also get to see the reactions of her friends and family — it makes or breaks the journey.

Alf Mabrook

Though not completely based on the disease, Ahmed Helmy’s Alf Mabrook features how ‘support’ can take many forms, such as going bald for your mother. Layla Ezz El Arab, playing Helmy’s mother in the movie, is getting chemotherapy sessions, which eventually leads to hair loss. To show support, Helmy shaved his head in solidarity with his mother. 

These movies show us how important love and support are along the cancer journey. And always remember, life is all about getting past hard times and hopping into the resilient spirit that resides within each one of us – that warrior ‘spirit’ who can fight against this, sadly, common foe.