Latest news with #BassamMahboub
Khaleej Times
23-02-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Look: Dubai Miracle Garden unveils new lung-shaped installation; here's why
When you visit Dubai Miracle Garden next, you will encounter an 'impossible-to-ignore' installation with an important health message. The installation — made of flowers shaped into a pair of lungs — aims at raising awareness about Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD). Unveiled on Saturday, February 22, the installation marks the culmination of the 'Think Lungs' campaign, a collaborative effort between Boehringer Ingelheim and the Emirates Thoracic Society (ETS). Sharing insights about the initiative, Dr. Bassam Mahboub, Head of the Pulmonology Department at Rashid Hospital and Vice President of the Emirates Thoracic Society, said: 'People typically visit Miracle Garden for the beauty and the perfect selfie backdrop, not necessarily for health awareness. Our challenge was to transform this space into a platform for lung health education,' he said. Interstitial Lung Disease encompasses over 200 progressive and often fatal lung diseases that result in inflammation and scarring of the lung tissue. Many individuals do not recognise the symptoms until it is too late, as ILD can develop silently, gradually making every breath more difficult. Early awareness and prevention are crucial in managing this condition. 'We created an installation that's impossible to ignore — a pair of lungs made from flowers, fragile yet vibrant. It serves as a visual metaphor: like these flowers, our lungs require care, and often, they don't show signs of damage until it's too late,' Dr. Mahboub emphasised. When asked why the focus is on ILD, Dr. Mahboub highlighted its significance. 'Many people don't recognise ILD until it's too late. Unlike a heart attack, ILD creeps in silently, scarring the lungs. Early awareness is crucial for effective management.' The campaign, inspired by the concept of 'Breathtaking Moments,' aimed at changing public perception. 'We often associate 'breathtaking' with beautiful experiences,' he noted. 'But for those with ILD, every breath can be a struggle. We wanted to encourage people to reflect on moments that truly take their breath away and consider the importance of lung health.' Dr. Mahboub emphasised on the need to prioritise lung health. 'We monitor our heart rates and track our fitness, but we often overlook our lungs. ILD awareness is critical because many people haven't heard of it. We must start conversations about lung health before symptoms arise. If we don't, we miss the chance to make a real impact.' Success for this campaign means fostering a community that understands the importance of lung health. 'I envision a society where people walk not just for fitness, but as a daily check-in with their bodies. Increased awareness about ILD can lead to early detection and better treatment outcomes. Imagine someone recognizing symptoms early and receiving timely treatment. That's the kind of success we strive for—awareness, early detection, and ultimately, a healthier community.' When asked for a slogan for lung health, Dr. Mahboub succinctly stated, 'Think Lungs. Because every breath tells a story.'
Khaleej Times
13-02-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: After 14-year wait, couple reclaims over Dh265,000 in off-plan property case
After a 14-year wait, a couple finally recovered the Dh266,352 downpayment fees they paid for a house that was not built on time in Dubai. Back in 2008, Dr Bassam Mahboub and his wife bought an off-plan house in an Al Qudra residential compound's 'cluster C' from Remraam developer. Bassam paid instalments for a year and was receiving photos from the developer featuring the building process, when everything came to a halt. After paying a few instalments, he visited the site and realised that no progress had been made with his cluster. "They had not even put the foundation yet. It seems they were sending me photos from clusters A and B,' he explained. Realising the lack of progress, Dr Mahboub stopped paying the remaining instalments. Shortly after, the developer told him that he lost both the downpayments and the house for failing to meet the instalments' deadlines. 'They claimed that they issued a notice that I have lost both the house and the paid amounts, but I neither received it nor signed it. At the time I was busy with special circumstances, and when I followed up with them two years later, they said I lost everything.' 'Over a decade later, I met lawyer Ali Al Abbadi and told him my story. He said we can file a lawsuit and claim the money back because the buyer has the right to freeze payments if the seller did not fulfil his end of the contract.' The lawsuit filed in 2021 passed through five stages of litigation in Dubai Courts, starting with the first instance court ruling in favour of Dr Bassam. The other party referred the ruling to the appeals court to cancel the ruling. When their request was denied, they further appealed the verdict at the cassation court, who bounced it back to appeals for lacking proof that the company did not keep their end of the deal. Further expert reports led the appeals court to rule in favour of Dr Bassam once again, driving the company to file a second final appeal at the court of cassation. The supreme court's final verdict, which Khaleej Times received a copy of, said the company had no right to confiscate the property and instalments, even if the buyer had received a notification. A judicial expert report showed that the company breached their end of the contract, as they were supposed to hand the house to the buyer in June 2010. However, up until May 2011, the project was only 42.8 per cent ready, which proves that they did not fulfil their end of the deal. The cassation court upheld the lower court's ruling to return the instalment money to the plaintiff. The property was finally completed in May 2023. The amounts were paid back to Dr Bassam through the executive court, shortly after. 'Our firm was following up the execution process every day,' said Al Abbadi, adding: 'The company paid out of the fear that we would issue a freezing request on their assets if they don't pay.'
