A reason to smile
SMILE, a Bahrain Future Society for Youth initiative, is set to officially launch the Smile Shop, a creative platform to support children with cancer.
The aim is to sell a variety of merchandise that will be made available online and at retail hubs across the country.
The products include bags, bottles, books and mugs, carrying striking designs by Bahraini artists, with 80 per cent of the proceeds from sale set to help children suffering from cancer.
The society's announcement comes as Bahrain gears up to mark International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) on Saturday.
The day, held annually on February 15, aims to raise awareness about childhood cancer and its unique challenges. It also highlights the importance of community participation and support in tackling challenges related to the disease. The theme this year is Inspiring Action, which will focus on collaborative efforts and initiatives for the cause.
'We did a soft launch (for the shop) in September last year, and the response was overwhelming, with most of our stocks sold out, which spurred us on to stage an official launch this month,' Future Society for Youth chairman Sabah Al Zayani told GulfWeekly.
'We're always looking for sustainable resources to support our children, which is why we came up with the idea. The products are high-end, making them the perfect gift for loved ones too,' he added.
The 'Smile' initiative is a Bahrain Future Society for Youth programme that provides psychosocial support to children with cancer and their parents in Bahrain. It has successfully collaborated with private sector and government entities, particularly the Health Ministry and Government Hospitals as well as the Social Development Ministry, to spread awareness about the cause and raise funds for children suffering from cancer.
Cancer is a large group of diseases that can start in almost any organ or tissue of the body where abnormal cells grow uncontrollably. According to the World Health Organisation, cancer is a leading cause of death for children and adolescents, with an estimated 400,000, aged from zero to 19 years, developing the illness.
'Smile Shop has signed up with the Jahez application and patrons can purchase the products and have them delivered to their homes at the click of a button after February 17,' Sabah said.
According to him, the society is also in talks with malls and supermarkets, where the products will soon be made available.
'We have been working with a few Bahraini artists and are actively talking to more local creatives as well,' Sabah added.
'In the past, we have released merchandise in connection with major events like Bahrain National Day, and we hope to continue this trend as it's popular with our patrons,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Tribune
3 days ago
- Daily Tribune
Farah Abdelaal proposes platform linking movies and medicine
TDT | Manama A groundbreaking PhD study by a Bahraini researcher is proposing an unexpected but potentially powerful alliance between the pharmaceutical and film industries. Farah Abdelaal, a PhD candidate in Innovation Management at the Arabian Gulf University, has developed a firstof-its-kind business model and digital platform to unite the two sectors. Her dissertation offers a qualitative framework that aims to revolutionise how medical content is communicated and financed. Health Meets Storytelling The platform concept, still in prototype stage, envisions using cinematic storytelling to disseminate critical health information, raise awareness of conditions like neurological disorders, and even influence public behaviour. 'Films have the ability to reach hearts and minds,' her research notes, adding that blending narrative power with scientific insight can make complex medical issues more relatable and actionable. AI and Neuro-Medicine The study draws from innovation theory, artificial intelligence, business modelling, and neuro-medicine to argue that merging these fields can benefit not just patient education but also pharmaceutical companies seeking sustainable, socially impactful ways to engage with the public. Abdelaal's model also outlines a revenue-sharing mechanism to make such collaborations financially viable for both industries. The research is part of a growing trend that views cross-sector innovation as essential to tackling modern challenges. Her work adds to the region's growing contribution to global discussions around digital health, creative industries, and the evolving role of AI in medicine.
Daily Tribune
3 days ago
- Daily Tribune
Global Icons, Shared Vision: Bahrain Welcomes Olympic Hockey Legend Moritz Fürste
HH Shaikh Nasser and Fürste explore a new frontier of fitness with HYROX collaboration in the Kingdom. Sporting Minds Aligned When elite athletes from different worlds meet—not on the field, but across a table—it often signals something more than polite diplomacy. This week in Bahrain, that meeting took place between His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and Olympic hockey great Moritz Fürste, a two-time gold medalist and the force behind the fast-growing global fitness competition, HYROX. Fürste is building something uniquely powerful with HYROX, blending functional fitness with competitive structure in a way that could reshape how elite and everyday athleticism is approached. And Bahrain, increasingly, is becoming the proving ground for such innovation. Champion Meets a Kingdom on the Rise Fürste's career speaks for itself having secured gold in Beijing 2008, gold again in London 2012, and a bronze in Rio 2016. Few athletes carry such a résumé, and fewer still translate it into entrepreneurial impact as he has with HYROX. His visit to Bahrain was more than ceremonial; it was exploratory, collaborative, and rich with potential. Shaikh Nasser, Bahrain's leading figure in sport and youth development, welcomed Fürste at a time when the Kingdom is amplifying its efforts in endurance and strength-based disciplines. Their discussions touched not only on HYROX but on a broader sporting vision, where resilience meets performance, and fitness becomes a platform for national identity. A Natural Fit Bahrain has already made a name for itself in strength sports through local initiatives like the Strongest Bahraini and Strongest Gulf competitions. HYROX, with its hybrid structure combining distance running and functional strength exercises such as sled pushes and weighted lunges, aligns seamlessly with Bahrain's evolving sporting identity. It's demanding, measurable, and accessible—traits that echo the values instilled by Shaikh Nasser's leadership in the country's athletic programs. A Moment Bigger Than Sport Fürste, in turn, expressed admiration for Bahrain's hospitality and for Shaikh Nasser's role in inspiring a new generation of Bahraini athletes. His acknowledgment underlined a mutual respect—one that extends beyond accolades into shared purpose. The tone of the meeting was visionary as much as it was transactional. With HYROX eyeing international expansion, Bahrain emerges as a compelling partner.
Daily Tribune
5 days ago
- Daily Tribune
MP pushes for jobless pay for freelancers
A proposal aiming to give self-employed Bahrainis a chance to draw jobless pay during bouts of ill-health has been tabled by MP Jalal Kadhem. His amendment to the 2006 Unemployment Insurance Decree would let freelancers and people running their own businesses voluntarily sign up for an insurance scheme currently reserved for employed workers. Those affected by illness or injury, unrelated to work, would become eligible for monthly payments equal to 60 per cent of their average earnings, capped at BD1,000, provided the medical condition lasts no fewer than 30 days. To claim the support, the person must be Bahraini, aged at least 18, registered in the voluntary insurance scheme, and dependent solely on their profession for income. The incapacity has to be medically certified by authorised committees. Serious hurdles Kadhem pointed out clearly in his explanatory note how people working for themselves face serious hurdles whenever sickness puts their livelihoods on pause. 'These individuals face major challenges in the event of a temporary health condition that prevents them from performing their work,' he wrote. 'This leads to a complete halt in monthly income, negatively affecting the morale, finances, and mental wellbeing of the entire family.' The proposal creates a new category of 'voluntarily insured person', covering freelancers and self-employed citizens who join the voluntary social insurance scheme.
