Inspirational story of victory in the Library of Alexandria

"Bibliotheca Alexandrina" has organized at the Conference Center a lecture entitled “Invisible Disabilities”, in which it hosted Dr. Ayman Youssef, one of the inspiring models of people with disabilities who suffers from a rare disorder in the central nervous system and muscle marrow. Dr. Ayman was able to face his illness by specializing in it as the first Egyptian and Arab to present the first international scientific thesis on Invisible disabilities and their syndromes of fibromyalgia disorders and chronic fatigue syndrome known as myalgic encephalomyelitis- or Systemic Exertion Intolerance Disease, as well as central sensitivity syndrome in the brain and spinal cord, through his studies for a master's degree and a professional doctorate from New York International University.

Dr. Ayman Youssef talked about the group of genetic and environmental factors that cause these syndromes and talked about their new treatment methods according to the Human Genome Project, which has achieved a great deal of improvement and recovery, especially for treatment-resistant cases. He went on to explain the concept of invisible disabilities and its importance in the advanced legal, health and legislative systems, and he recommended the need for Egypt to join the international campaign to define invisible disabilities that was launched from England in 2016 witch known as the Sunflower Campaign, where it was agreed internationally on the sunflower badges as an international symbol for invisible disabilities. Employees at airports, ministries, institutions and banks were trained to deal with this badge in order to Take the necessary measures for availability, integration and proper handling of such cases.

Youssef praised the Egyptian state's interest in the issues of people with disabilities and called for greater attention to the issue of invisible disabilities, being the most important and issue in this file. He also praised the role of the Misr El Kheir Foundation as one of the leading Egyptian institutions in the various fields of development and its efforts in the issues of people of determination, praising its role in general and with him in particular in the sectors of health, education and scientific research.

The event was organized by the Library’s Programs Unit for People with Special Needs, headed by Hassan Khater, and in the presence of Dina Youssef Head of the Libraries Sector, Dr. Afaf Al Gohary Head of the health sector Misr El-Khair Foundation, Ibrahim El-Sayed, Director of the Civil Coalition for Human Rights in Alexandria, headed by Dr. Mohamed Fawaz, President of the Coalition and President of the Egyptian Amnesty Association as well as Dr. Ahmed Saeed and Dr. Bilal Al-Ahmadi Stockholm University.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Ayman Youssef took a comprehensive approach in studying and presenting protocols for rehabilitation and recovery from such cases, as it is due to the nature of those syndromes that are characterized by the breadth of symptoms between motor, cognitive and sensory symptoms; The patient often needs a consultation from doctors in several specialties, including rheumatism, neurology, a psychotherapist and a specialist in sports rehabilitation. Youssef initially focused on studying the genetic factors of the methylation cycle that control the metabolism of many elements in central nervous system and muscles such as glycinate, fatty acids, amino acids, and vitamins in their active form. he also participated in the formulation of the cognitive behavioral therapy model for this patient, as this model relies on guiding both the patient and the therapist alike in realizing the nature of the pathological Mechanisms and means of managing them throughout the day, with the need for guidance in psychological counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy on how to use medicines and supplements Nutrition in its active form determined by the attending physician, in addition to behavioral methods in managing pain, stiffness, muscle and nervous spasms, breathing difficulties, movement, fatigue, tension and sleep disturbances,As well as a the role of sports rehabilitation as regular and detailed exercise according to the nature of each patient causes a noticeable improvement in most cases.