In war-torn Syria, a charity offers hope to kids with cancer

By OMAR SANADIKI
Associated Press

DAMASCUS, SYria (AP) — The beds fill up fast at a hospital ward in Syria’s capital operated by BASMA, a private charity association that supports Syrian children with cancer. It’s the biggest  association to offer cancer diagnosis and treatment without charge — and for many among Syria’s impoverished population, it comes down to either that or no treatment at all. More than a decade of war has brought the Syrian health sector to its knees, and for many, cancer treatment is either unaffordable or in short supply. Hospitals across Syria — including a children’s hospital in Damascus — face severe shortages of medicines and medical equipment.