"SEE" Interviews Dr. Zahira Abdin’s Daughter

When you look through Egypt’s History… You will find the most wonderful examples of motherhood, patriotism, and generosity.

Many women have held the title of the “FIRST LADY” and made many local and global achievements that serve man everywhere…Their philosophy in life represented in the elimination of diseases, poverty, and ignorance.

They have proven that the woman with her smart motherhood nature could reach the highest positions.

Our “First lady” role model this time; we often see her name on a street in Dokki neighborhood, a hospital or an association, but we do not know who is she!

“Dr. Zahira H. Abdin”, who is known as (Mother of Children) and (Mother of Doctors), was an iconic mother not only for her children but for the whole society as well.

In the 50s, she pioneered the field of social pediatrics in Egypt and the whole world; she was the first woman from outside Europe to receive the prestigious Elizabeth Norgall Prize for her personal multi-contributions in various fields and her key role in the development of her community.

She is the first female doctor to combat children’s rheumatism heart disease in Egypt, as she was the first physician to discover the microbe that causes it.

Hence, she established the free Pyramid Rheumatic Heart Center, which contributed to reducing disease infection rates from 60% to 1%.

Many hospitals, schools, charitable institutions, and foundations were built by her during a lifetime of sacrifice and struggle, and unremitting love and giving.

She left behind her a legacy and a model that meets the needs of the many communities whose fate was touched by her grace.

“SEE” managed to get close and personal with her youngest daughter Dr. Azza Abdul Fadl, Professor of Pediatrics at Benha University to know more about this iconic mother, doctor, and charitable lady.

The forever "First lady”...

Could you give us a background about Dr. Abdin's early life?

My mother was a daughter of an open-minded man “Hafiz Abdin” who was a member of parliament by then; she managed to secure the top score in Egypt’s “Thanawya Amma” in 1936.

Her father had always wished her and her sister Fatima to be doctors. Indeed, she enrolled in the faculty of medicine at Cairo University.

She was the 1st Egyptian and Arab doctor to obtain the fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of London and won many academic degrees; she was also the first oriental woman to receive the prestigious Elizabeth Norgall prize as well as the State Appreciation award; she donated the awards money for the top graduates in pediatrics.

Did she get married before her scholarship abroad, or after her return? And how did she skillfully manage time between her motherhood duties and her social role?

My mother met her life partner (my father), Dr. Abdel Moneim Abdul Fadl, during the first year of the Faculty of Medicine; then a nice love story developed between them.

Her father did not reject this love despite the social difference and they got married before graduation and traveled for a scholarship in the UK to obtain a Ph.D.

She gave birth four children 3 daughters and one son, she refused to give birth abroad, preferring to give birth in her homeland, then to return back because she had always been so proud of the Egyptian identity.

She was an iconic mother by all means and despite her many concerns, she never neglected our rights or her marital responsibilities.

She was doing everything on her own, in addition to being a working woman, a researcher, who had many concerns... She raised all of us well until we got the highest academic degrees ... My sister-may God have mercy on her- Dr. Mona Abdul Fadl was a professor at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science; my second sister, Dr. Hoda Abdul Al-Fadl is a Pathology Professor at Al-Qasr Al-Ayni; my brother Omar Abdul-Fadl, may God have mercy on him, was an Engineer and I, a Professor of Pediatrics.

Azza continued to say …

My mother lost her mom when she was three, however being an orphan who never experienced the mother tenderness; she had dedicated all her life for the children till she became a prominent global doctor and known as “The mother of children”.

Children were her main concern since her graduation; she fought their enemy, which is “Rheumatic heart” disease, as she was the first to discover the microbe that causes it in the period from 1960 to 1970.

Moreover, she established a hospital to treat children and raise the awareness of the families about how to deal with their infected children, and the ways of prevention. She also contributed to the establishment of Abu El-Reesh’s preventive care center.

Moreover, she built a number of charitable institutions, houses for expatriate girls, and another hospital for children in Dokki, which she handed over to the Ministry of Health at the end of its life to manage it.

She was awarded the honorary title of the “Mother of Egyptian Doctors” by the First Lady in an official ceremony in the early 90s.

What does community medicine mean in Egypt and the world?

My late mom believed in the human side in medicine and treatment, via communicating with parents and educating them about ways to deal with their sick child as well as the ways of prevention.

Later on, many developing countries paid much attention to the “community medicine” file, and it is currently taught in medical schools.

When I chose to join a medical school, she encouraged me to travel to England in the summer for training and she asked me to work as a nursing assistant, not a doctors' one. The reason- she believed that it is better to interact and communicate with the patients and understand their needs than diagnosing the disease and dealing with hospital and treatment tools.

Dr. Zahira used to teach me that true medicine is not about the proper remedy, but it is a medicine of hearts, and souls with love and giving.

What was the secret of Dr. Abdin’s charming personality, which attracted many political, economic and artistic celebrities to cooperate with her?

Dr. Abdin was enjoying high credibility that had no limits, which made her a “trustworthy” person; so many celebrities cooperated with her... For example, the legend "Umm Kulthoum" was holding concerts at the Nile Palace Theater and donating their income to her children's Hospital.

Other distinguished figures that were collaborating with the iconic mom included: the late Presidents Gamal Abd Al-Naser and Mohamed Anwar Al-Sadat, as well as, Mrs. Jihan Al-Sadat, Mrs. Suzan Mubarak and Mrs. Hikmat Abu Zaid, former minister of social solidarity; she was respected and appreciated by everyone for her significant social work and role.

Finally, Dr. Zahira Abdin passed away at the age of 82 years and had been working in her volunteer work and managing a large system of goodness even while on the bed of sickness.

Contributed by Nada Mustafa