Asma al-Assad, the wife of the Syrian President, has begun treatment for breast cancer in Damascus.
The country’s presidency confirmed the news on twitter where she was pictured in hospital her husband and with an IV drip in her arm.
The post said: “Mrs Asma al-Assad begins the first stage of treatment for a malignant breast tumour that was discovered early…. the Presidency and its team wish Mrs Asma a speedy recovery.”
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بقوة وثقة وإيمان.. السيدة #أسماء_الأسد تبدأ المرحلة الأولية لعلاج ورم خبيث بالثدي اكتشف مبكرا..
من القلب .. رئاسة الجمهورية والفريق العامل فيها يتمنون للسيدة أسماء الشفاء العاجل.. pic.twitter.com/W3vi9h1GUt
— Syrian Presidency (@Presidency_Sy) August 8, 2018
The public announcement was unusual, as breast cancer is normally considered a taboo in the Arab world.
RT reports: The 42-year old was found to have a malignant breast tumor. It was discovered early, according to the announcement, which was accompanied by a photo of the first lady and her husband at a Damascus hospital.
The same photo was posted on Asma’s Instagram account, prompting a flurry of good wishes from many of her 260,000 followers.
Asma is heavily involved in charity work, and has created a variety of organizations that function under the charity sector of the Syrian government. Official photos often show her visiting schoolchildren, orphans, and injured soldiers.
The first lady, who was born in the United Kingdom to Syrian parents, has three children with Bashar Assad. She moved to Syria in November 2000 after meeting Bashar, who she married just one month later.
Niamh Harris
For the sake of her children, I wish her a speedy and complete recovery from this illness and hope that she embraces a homeopathic solution for life-long health.