UAE: Family Raises Awareness After Son Passes Away From Rare Cancer Ewing Sarcoma

An Indian expat family in UAE is seeking to raise awareness around a rare cancer after losing their teenage son, earlier this year, to Ewing Sarcoma. Asad Rashid was diagnosed with the disease in 2021, just two weeks before his 16th birthday.

After three years of battling with cancer, Asad passed away on June 8, 2025, three days after the family celebrated his 20th birthday. On June 5, when Asad's mother asked him what he was grateful for, he said,“having this whole family.”

That moment stayed with his sister, Tamana Rashid, and she has been on a mission ever since to embody her brother's positivity through the worst times. She said, "in the midst of the grief, I've been holding on to the strength and courage he showed throughout his journey."

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Khaleej Times reached out to doctors to understand the occurrence and symptoms of this type of cancer.

Ewing Sarcoma usually starts in the bones or nearby soft tissues. "It primarily affects children, teenagers, and young adults between the ages of 10 and 20, and is slightly more common in boys," according to Dr Zainul Aabideen, consultant and head of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and BMT at Burjeel Medical City.

The disease is classified as a "rare cancer" and globally, it affects approximately 1 to 3 children and young adults per million each year, according to Dr Afsal Muhammed, surgical oncology specialist at Aster Hospital.

He added that currently, there are "no known vaccines or specific medicines that can prevent Ewing Sarcoma." With its exact cause not understood, it is not considered preventable through behavioural changes, which means the most proactive step that can be taken is awareness, Dr Afsal added.

According to Tamana, Asad had not shown any symptoms until the cancer reached stage three, when one day, "he woke up with a large lump on his arm - about the size of the space between the index finger and thumb - and it kept growing rapidly".

According to Dr Zainul, "if the cancer has not spread, about 70 out of 100 children survive after treatment. If the disease has already spread, survival is lower, around 20 to 30 per cent."

With early detection increasing chances of survival, Tamana decided she would try to spread the message and help people understand the symptoms of Ewing Sarcoma.

According to Dr Zainul, children may have pain, swelling, or difficulty moving a limb. It is essential to consult a doctor as they can use X-rays, MRI, CT scans, and a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.

The most common initial signs are "persistent pain, swelling, or tenderness near a bone, which may sometimes be mistaken for a sports injury," Dr Afsal said.

"Sometimes a lump can be felt, and in some cases, a fever may be present. If such symptoms persist for more than a few weeks, it is important to consult a doctor," he added.

The rare disease often begins in the long bones, such as the thigh, leg, or arm, but can also affect the pelvis, ribs, or chest wall. The cancer can spread to the lungs, bone marrow, or other bones, Dr Zainul said.

Tamana recalled Asad's search for answers after his diagnosis. When the family chose not to tell him he had cancer, Asad had already begun doing his own research and discovered he had the disease.

"What struck us most was how unafraid he was of the word 'cancer' - he had already understood that it meant a lifelong treatment, yet he faced it with remarkable strength and wisdom. Asad would say: 'Cancer is not a bad thing, it connects people'," according to Tamana.

Asad went about his life just like any other teenager did; he learned to play chess, and learnt driving. Although his illness limited his physical movement, "cancer never seemed to stop him from doing the things he set his heart on," his sister said.

"Once, when our aunt was sending him pictures from the supermarket to ask if he wanted anything, he told her he missed simply seeing the colors in the aisles. He would even ask his friends to send him photos of the places they visited, because although he missed being out there, he still wanted to experience the world through them," Tamana added.

Some of his friends got to know of his disease only after his death, as the young adult had not wanted cancer to "define his identity"; he had wanted to let them know only after he was cured.

The family now plans to start a foundation in Asad's name to support sarcoma research, as the disease can easily be mistaken for something minor, like fever or tenderness.

Asad's aunt is also writing a book to share his story, while his sister seeks to raise awareness by sharing his journey through multiple platforms.

According to Dr Afsal, treatment involves a multimodal approach. This typically includes:

• Chemotherapy: Used first to shrink the tumor (neoadjuvant) and after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells (adjuvant).

• Surgery: The primary goal is to remove the entire tumor while preserving limb function whenever possible, thanks to sophisticated limb-salvage surgical techniques.

• Radiation Therapy: Used precisely to target and destroy cancer cells, especially in tumors where surgery is not feasible.

The treatment plan is always tailored to the individual patient by a multidisciplinary team, he added.

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