In 1983, a swelling under her right armpit and a severe skin allergy led to a heart-wrenching diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Disease for Mona Hadeed, at the time a normal devoted wife and mother to her family.
It heralded the start of what was to be a cataclysmic journey, one that would take her through valleys of the deepest despair, before ascending to her eventual victory over the cancer, becoming a published author, designing her own personalized line of inspirational greeting cards and founding the St Francis of Assisi Special Needs Center.
Though she herself survived her battle with cancer, she spent a further twenty years being at her beloved husband’s side through his own battle with the dreadful disease before she eventually lost him to it. During that time, the devastating discovery that her five-month pregnant daughter had developed a potentially deadly brain tumor took her down yet another terrifying and uncertain road. By the grace of God her daughter survived, but as a result of the treatment she underwent her baby girl was born with Cerebral Palsy. During those years Mona kept a journal in which she wrote of her deepest fears, hopes and prayers. That journal is now a best-selling, beautifully inspiring book, ‘The Healing Desert – In the Sands of Time’ (available on Amazon).
In Mona’s own words: “In 2002, on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St Francis of Assisi, I received a vision of an hourglass. I had no idea what the significance was but I KNEW that it came from God. I bought myself an hourglass, and from time to time I prayed for clarity as to it’s meaning.
Over the years of being with my granddaughter I saw what parents have to endure to give these children a chance in life and the seed of desire to do something was planted, but it was only when I returned to visit the Shrine of St Francis that it all came together. His life and works reflected what I felt the desire to accomplish, and the hourglass suddenly had meaning: that it would all happen in God’s perfect time.”
In July 2015, the St Francis of Assisi Special Needs Center was incorporated. It’s purpose is to serve as a first class center where children with Cerebral Palsy primarily, but also including other special needs can access all the specialty services and care they need to have the best quality of life possible.
Today, proceeds from the sale of every ‘Healing Desert – In the Sands of Time’ book and every inspirational Healing Desert greeting card (find them here) goes towards funding the operations of the St Francis of Assisi Special Needs Center.
If you are located in Trinidad & Tobago and are interested in purchasing the book or cards, please email us at thehealingdesert@gmail.com.
The St Francis of Assisi Special Needs Center 