Janane is a Clinical Nurse Specialist and founding member of Balsam. She started her career as an Oncology Nurse at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) ...and was selected to establish the Pain Consultation service as a Pain Nurse in 2010. She received her Advanced Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AOCNS) certification from the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation in 2011 and was promoted to Pain and Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist. She has received specialized training in pain and palliative care at leading centers including Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas, St Christopher’s Hospice in London, and the Institute of Palliative Medicine in Kerala.

Janane is actively engaged in advancing pain and palliative care through education and training at several institutions nationally and internationally. She serves on the Implementation Committee of the National Cancer Plan Advisory Board and on the board of the Palliative Care Nursing Association. She is an Academic Associate at the American University of Beirut Hariri School of Nursing and co-directs the AUB Palliative Care Online Diploma — the first online diploma for palliative care in the region. Janane is a recognized leader in palliative care nursing and pediatric palliative care and a champion in the GPNN (Global Palliative Nursing Network).

Rebecca is a Clinical Nurse Specialist and founding member of Balsam. After 8 years as an Oncology Registered Nurse at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), ...she became certified as an Advanced Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AOCNS) by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation in 2011. The following year, she was promoted to Adult Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist. She has received training in several leading institutions including Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas, St Christopher’s Hospice in London, and the Institute of Palliative Medicine in Kerala.

Rebecca is committed to sharing her knowledge, skills, and experience with the next generation of palliative care providers. She serves as an Academic Associate at the American University of Beirut Hariri School of Nursing since 2016, is a regular guest speaker at national and international conferences on the topics of oncology and palliative care, and contributes to training physicians and nurses at several healthcare institutions.

A volunteer at Balsam since 2011, Dania has worked as a Clinical Pharmacist at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) Pharmacy Department since 1998, where she currently ...serves as Adult Team Leader and Critical Care Pharmacist. She holds a doctorate in clinical pharmacy (PharmD), is ASHP certified in Critical Care, and is Board Certified in Critical Care (BCCCP) and Pharmacotherapy (BCPS).

Dania is committed to excellence in patient care and works closely with medical teams to ensure that patients receive the most appropriate and safest medications for their medical conditions. She spends most of her time at AUBMC in the ICU. She brings her expertise in clinical pharmacy to Balsam and her experience in palliative care to her role at AUBMC.

Hiba joined Balsam as a Social Worker in 2013. She holds a Master’s in Social Work from Howard University in Washington, DC and has received training and clinical experience at ...various social and health institutions in Lebanon and abroad, including Georgetown University Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where she completed the Education in Palliative and End of Life Care course (EPEC Pediatric, Train the trainer) through their Global Academy in Memphis, Tennessee.

Hiba is a firm believer that providing psychosocial support to patients and their families is essential to their wellbeing and quality of life. Through counseling and support, she helps patients and their caregivers address difficult issues and process powerful emotions. She also connects them to available community resources and supports bereaved families.

Holer of a Master’s degree in Nursing Administration from the American University of Beirut (AUB), Alia has been a valued member of the Balsam team since 2014 and currently serves as a ...Senior Palliative Care Nurse. Prior to joining Balsam, Alia gained diverse clinical and leadership experience across several premier institutions. She began her career as a registered nurse at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), where she served for 3 years before moving to Saudi Arabia. There, she spent 12 years at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center first as a registered nurse and later as Nurse Manager of the Medical Oncology Solid Tumor Unit. In this role, she not only provided palliative care to patients and their families but also trained and supported her nursing staff in delivering such care. Upon her return to Lebanon, Alia serviced as Nurse Manager of the surgical units at Makassed General Hospital for 6 years. Her extensive clinical experience has deepened her appreciation for the profound impact of palliative care, making her a passionate advocate. Alia finds both challenge and reward in helping patients live well, regardless of the status of their underlying disease.

Chadia joined Balsam in 2015, bringing over 5 years of experience as a private palliative care nurse in the UAE. Her experience in delivering compassionate, patient-centered care ...to individuals with complex and life-limiting conditions gives her a strong foundation in her role as a Senior Palliative Care Nurse. Since joining Balsam, Chadia has consistently expanded her clinical knowledge through specialized training programs and courses in palliative care, complemented by her extensive experience in the field. She brings a deeply holistic approach to care that addresses not only the physical needs of patients but also their psychological, emotional, and social wellbeing, while actively supporting their families throughout the care journey.

Beyond her clinical role, Chadia is deeply committed to capacity building and education, contributing to the training and mentorship of healthcare professionals to strengthen palliative care competencies within the wider medical community. Her dedication, empathy, and professionalism play a vital role in advancing the quality of care at Balsam and improving the lives of the patients and families she serves.

Dr Zakhem is an Infectious Disease specialist with subspecialty training in the care of immunocompromised patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. She joined ...Balsam in 2015 and served as Medical Director from 2018 until 2022. In 2017, she joined the Division of Infectious Diseases at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) Department of Internal Medicine as a full-time faculty member, and she currently serves as fellowship Program Director. Despite her busy schedule, Dr Zakhem has continued to dedicate time to clinical work at Balsam. Her clinical skills, extensive experience, and compassionate approach bring invaluable support and expertise to the multidisciplinary team.

Dr Farah completed his training as a Pulmonary and Critical Care specialist at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC). He joined Balsam as a team physician in ...2015. He currently serves as a Pulmonary and Critical Care physician in the intensive care units at the Bikhazi Medical Group (Khoury Hospital) and the Bellevue Medical Center (BMC), as well as an Emergency Medicine physician in the Emergency Department at AUBMC. He has been a member of the Palliative and Supportive Care Program at AUBMC since 2019 and contributed to the establishment of the palliative care mobile unit at BMC in 2025. Dr Farah’s clinical work reflects his strong commitment to integrating palliative care principles into acute and critical care settings, ensuring that patients with serious illness are well informed and receive comprehensive, compassionate, and goal-concordant care.

Roula holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management and brings a diverse professional background spanning both the public and private sectors. She joined Balsam in ...2015 initially as a Human Resources and Outreach Coordinator. Through her dedication and proactive approach, she progressively took on expanded responsibilities and transitioned into the role of Operations Manager. In this capacity, she has played a central role in supporting the growth and expansion of Balsam, contributing to the development and strengthening of its operational framework.

Roula oversees a wide range of functions, including project management, workflow optimization, and the continuous improvement of the work environment. She is instrumental in ensuring adequate staffing and resource allocation, while also leading fundraising efforts to sustain and expand Balsam’s services. Equally important to her role is her commitment to the wellbeing of the Balsam team, fostering a supportive and collaborative environment that enables staff to deliver high-quality care.

A Family Physician and specialist in palliative care, Dr Joe el Khoury joined Balsam in 2017. He holds a Diploma in Palliative Care from Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 in France and ...a Specialty Diploma in Pain Medicine from Paris Saclay University. He has also received training at internationally recognized institutions including Mayo Clinic in Florida and Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Dr El Khoury is a staunch advocate for integrating palliative care into health systems and committed to developing palliative care in both hospital and home settings. A recognized name in palliative care education for both adult and pediatric audiences, he serves as volunteer faculty in palliative care workshops organized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) globally and senior lecturer for the Education in Palliative and End-of-Life Care (EPEC) Pediatrics Program. He currently serves as Head of the Palliative Care Department at Centre Hospitalier Public d’Hauteville in France but remains a core member of the palliative care team at Balsam.

Dr Yamout is an Anesthesiology and Critical Physician with subspecialty training in chronic pain. She joined Balsam in 2018 and has served as Medical Director since 2023. Her advanced ...training in pain management and palliative care includes programs at Université Paris Descartes, with experiences at Gustave Roussy Institute, Bichat Hospital in France, and Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.

Dr Yamout is a recognized leader in palliative care in Lebanon. She played a key role in developing palliative care services at both Clemenceau Medical Center (CMC) and Hôtel-Dieu de France, In 2018, she joined the faculty at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), where she serves as Director of the Palliative and Supportive Care Program. Her advocacy led to the establishment of the Lebanese Palliative Care Association in 2025, and she currently serves as its President.

Maya holds a Master’s degree in Human Resources from the American University of Beirut (AUB). She joined Balsam as an Executive Assistant in 2018, marking her first experience in ...the NGO sector. Her professional background includes oversight of quality practices with the SABIS School Network, serving as HR Leader for Consulting Staff at Deloitte, and leading the development of organizational policies and procedures as an Employee Relations Officer at Bank Audi. Maya brings this strong foundation across multiple sectors to her role at Balsam, where she supports a wide range of administrative functions, contributing to program support and coordination, and leading data collection and quality initiatives to help advance Balsam’s mission.

Batoul joined Balsam in 2020 as a full-time Palliative Care Nurse. She holds a Diploma in Nursing Education from the American University of Beirut (AUB), complemented by ...advanced international training such as the ELNEC-based OMI Palliative Care program and the Salzburg OMI Seminar in Palliative Care in Neurology and Neuro-Oncology. Additionally, her professional background includes a strong focus on pain management and palliative care.

A valued contributor to Balsam’s patient-centered care approach. Batoul provides compassionate, holistic support to patients and families navigating complex medical journeys, combined with her dedication to education and her skills in integrating specialized palliative care knowledge into everyday practice.

Abeer joined Balsam in 2023 as a part-time Palliative Care Nurse. Before joining our team, she had worked as a certified registered nurse at the Hematology-Oncology Nursing ...Care Unit and the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), a registered nurse at Milestones Child Development Center, and a school nurse at Wellspring Learning Community in Beirut.

She brings to Balsam her diverse clinical experience across both acute care and community settings, as well as her specialized knowledge in caring for children with complex and life-limiting conditions. She excels in the assessment and management of the physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and social needs of patients of all ages, with a particular gift for supporting pediatric patients and their families — a whole-person approach that greatly enriches our multidisciplinary team.

Mayssoun joined Balsam as a Consultant Psychologist in 2026. She is a licensed psychotherapist with Master’s degrees in Social Psychology and in Clinical Psychology and specializes in Classical ...and Comparative Analytical Psychotherapy as well as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Her clinical experience involves working with multidisciplinary teams to provide holistic care for marginalized communities of all age groups.

What Mayssoun brings to Balsam is her deep commitment to ensuring that no one walks the path of serious illness alone. She is committed to providing evidence-based psychological support to those who need it most and helping patients, their families, and the Balsam team to navigate emotional burdens, manage existential issues, and build resilience.

Dr Ghaddar is a Pediatric Oncologist. She joined Balsam in February 2026 after completing her fellowship in pediatric Hematology and Oncology at the American University of ...Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) in 2023. Her interest in pediatric palliative care was sparked by her clinical experience caring for children with cancer. Dr Ghaddar is committed to providing compassionate, patient-centered care and improving the quality of life of seriously ill children and their families. In addition to her work at Balsam, she cares for children with cancer at Makassed General Hospital (MGH), Hammoud Hospital University Medical Center, (HHUMC) Labib Medical Center, and Raee Hospital and serves as Medical Manager at MedNet.