In April 2020, Time Out and Arabian Business launched The Hero Project, in a bid to raise the profiles of the thousands of individuals and companies in the UAE making huge efforts to overcome the Covid-19 crisis.
The project allows members of the public to nominate any person, company or organisation in the UAE who they believe deserves recognition during the current pandemic.
Dr Azza Kassem is one of those nominees.
Dr Azza Kassem is a Senior Pharmacist in Governmental premises in Abu Dhabi, as well as being a multi-tasking working mother.
“Before living in the UAE, she was serving the public governmental hospitals in Egypt where she was always keen to help her patients. She always tried to educate her patients and look after all their needs,” says her daughter Rawan Ashraf.
“She’s very passionate about her job. She’s always keeping in touch with her patients to make sure they have taken their medications correctly, and always asks about their lifestyle to make sure they’re benefiting from the medicine they’ve been put on. She also follows up with their doctors to make sure there are no gaps between them and the patient.”
She was the first in her family to be in medicine, and in Egypt it was hard to go to the hospital or doctor.
“My mother chose pharmacy as she’s keen to keep helping people take care of their health. Her family didn’t have any doctors or pharmacists and she wanted to have someone in the family who was able to help. She felt there was a gap and wanted someone to be there for everyone,” adds Rawan.
She’s known to family and friends as caring for everyone, as well as being a perfectionist in all aspects of her life.
“She’s generous, helpful and adventurous with a loveable personality and sense of hu-mour,” says Rawan. “She’s always trying to help her friends and keep them motivated dur-ing this difficult situation.”
And aside from her skills in her field of work, her family love her cooking abilities.
“She’s an amazing chef,” says Rawan. “Besides being a perfect pharmacist, she does delicious food. Every single day she’s trying to give her best to patients and to all of us at home.”
