Michele Hajal was the third runner-up for Miss Lebanon 2016 beauty pageant and a clinical dietitian. She passed away at the age of 25 after fighting cancer for over a year.
She was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, cancer that affects the immune system, in January 2018, and needed to travel to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in the US to receive her treatment.
In order to do so and get the specialized treatment, which was unavailable for her in Lebanon, Michele launched a campaign called Fight With Michele to raise 750,000$. And she made it.
Shortly after her treatment in the U.S., she announced that she was cancer-free, saying: “After two months of pain and stress, I am in complete remission now.”
Unfortunately, though, Michele relapsed and passed away in June of 2018. This news was devastating and heartbreaking for her family, her fiancé, and her hundreds of fans. Noting that this Lebanese beauty got engaged shortly before her diagnosis.
This fighter didn’t go without putting up one hell of a fight, making a change, inspiring so many in Lebanon, and leaving a positive impact.
She delivered many inspirational speeches and posted motivational messages on her social media to influence others going through the same struggle.
She also hosted fundraising events and appeared in several TV talk shows. Her last fundraising event was called Fight Like A Girl and was held in Caprice Nightclub.
Her funeral was in June of 2019, and this beautiful person inside-out was mourned by thousands of people, including many Lebanese celebrities.
A memorial service was also held for this outstanding young woman in Ottawa, Canada, at St. Elias Cathedral.
Beautiful words were spoken of Michele Hajal, describing her beauty, her courage, her kindness, and her sparkly personality. Everyone who got to meet this hero loved her instantly, and her death was a big loss for all of Lebanon.
However, Michele Hajal refused to leave without doing one last good deed, a great one actually. Being the amazing and selfless person that she was, she wanted her death to create life.
Recently, it was announced in a post shared online that before she started chemotherapy, Michele was asked to withdraw her eggs to protect herself from the risk of not having children after treatment.
“She promised herself that she would donate the eggs if she did not encounter this problem in the future,” the post says. “After her death, the eggs were donated by her family according to her will.”
Michele Hajal had announced after returning from her treatment in the U.S. that if she ever has a daughter she will name her Hope.
Michele left this world without having a daughter, but hope she certainly left behind for someone somewhere to be able to have a child.