Iranian Mother in Sharjah Wins Dh100,000, Reviving Hopes for Daughter’s Education After Years of Cancer Treatment
Faryal Gharghani, a 54-year-old Iranian mother who has lived in Sharjah for 36 years, has won AED 100,000 in the fourth edition of the Dear Big Ticket competition. She hopes the prize will help her daughter, Elnaz, pursue her dreams after years of cancer treatment forced her to put her education on hold. Gharghani is one of six grand prize winners selected by public vote.
Elnaz spent several years undergoing cancer treatment, forcing her to postpone her studies and future plans. Over the past year, she has entered the workforce and gradually worked to rebuild her life.
Gharghani, a homemaker, said watching her daughter strive to return to a normal life had given her renewed hope. However, her greatest wish remains to provide Elnaz with an opportunity to resume her education.
“My daughter has been through so much, and all I have ever wanted is for her to regain the opportunities she lost,” she said. “Seeing her working and moving forward with her life makes me very happy, but I also want her to have the chance to continue her education and fulfil her dreams.”
Recalling the moment she learned she had won, Gharghani said: “I was overjoyed when I heard the news — not just for myself, but for my daughter. This prize will finally allow us to plan for the future she was forced to postpone. As a mother, I have no greater wish than to see my daughter happy and building a life of her own.”
Gharghani said her family plans to explore available educational opportunities after receiving the prize money so Elnaz can resume her unfinished studies.
Dear Big Ticket is part of Abu Dhabi’s Big Ticket programme. Unlike its regular prize draws, entry to the competition is free and does not require a ticket purchase. Participants submit their wishes and personal stories, with the grand prize winners selected through a public vote.
After several weeks of public voting in the competition’s fourth edition, six people from Iran, India, Kenya, Nigeria and the Philippines were selected as grand prize winners, each receiving AED 100,000.