Ever since the third edition of the World Youth Forum (WYF) kicked off yesterday, one speaker, in particular, was the talk of the entire country. Zein Youssef went all the way to Sharm El-Sheikh to tell his inspiring story of recovering from cancer, in front of President Abdelfattah El Sisi and more than 7,000 participants from different countries around the world. The 12-year-old cancer survivor, who’s considered the youngest speaker at the WYF, stole not just the show, but our hearts as well.

“I embraced a motto in my life that I repeat daily in everything that I do, called NEGU. N.E.G.U stands for never ever give up,” Zein said, which was followed by an intense round of applause.

At the age of five, in February 2013, Zein was diagnosed with stage-4 stem cell cancer. The rare form of the illness affects the chest, abdomen, bones, and bone marrow of the patient.

The young fighter embarked on an arduous treatment journey that took him around seven years. It involved chemotherapy, surgeries, and radiation therapy, and only last year did Zein finally recover. For full recovery, however, Zein still has five more years to go.

In spite of his complicated medical condition, Zein was keen to complete his education and have a normal schoolkid’s life. He also practises Taekwondo and holds a black belt.

Zein’s story first inspired many after it first spread widely when he appeared in an advertisement in Ramadan 2017.

The forum will conclude on the 17th of this month. We look forward to seeing what other inspiring stories it still has in store for us.