Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Hamdi Foundation

The Hamdi Foundation is a philanthropic organisation established in 2021 by Professor Moustapha Hamdi, a leading plastic and reconstructive breast surgeon based in Brussels. The foundation operates internationally from Belgium and focuses on the broad impact of breast cancer on patients, families and society. It structures its work around four pillars: Awareness, Scientific Research, Advocacy and Sociocultural initiatives. Through these pillars, the foundation both delivers and finances projects that advance treatment, improve access to care and foster cultural and humanitarian engagement.

Within its Scientific Research pillar, the Hamdi Foundation explicitly supports research and advanced training in breast cancer surgery. It invests in three complementary activities: research into breast cancer surgery, especially functional and aesthetic aspects of reconstruction; grants in the form of scholarships and fellowships for promising young surgeons; and events and training programmes such as conferences and congresses for breast reconstruction specialists.

The foundation offers named funding schemes including The Salah ad-Din Grant, The Albucasis Grant and The Brussels Breast Fellowship. These grants typically support three‑month clinical fellowships in Belgium under the supervision of Professor Hamdi and colleagues. International grant recipients are expected to return to their home countries and apply the advanced skills and knowledge acquired, amplifying the foundation’s impact on global breast cancer care.

The website highlights a dedicated “Grant Awardees” section, presenting individual recipients and their projects or training paths. Examples include the Brussels Breast Fellowship Grant Awardee 2025 and the Albucasis Grant Awardee 2025, as well as awardees of other supported prizes. This transparency underlines the foundation’s role as an active funder of careers in reconstructive and oncologic breast surgery, with a focus on capacity-building in multiple countries.

Beyond direct research funding, the foundation finances and organises awareness‑raising initiatives about breast cancer’s psychological, social and financial consequences. Projects include educational materials, public events such as BRA Day, and collaborations with media, authors and patient groups.

Its Advocacy pillar centres on improving legal and financial access to breast reconstruction by providing policymakers with scientific and medico‑legal evidence, and by helping young doctors obtain visas for specialised training in Belgium. The Sociocultural pillar supports art and cultural exchange between Europe and other regions, particularly Syria and the Levant, and helps build networks of doctors who unite to support patients and jointly raise funds.

The foundation also undertakes or funds humanitarian missions, for example covering costs for complex reconstructive surgery for patients in resource‑constrained settings. Partnerships with organisations such as patient associations and charity events extend its reach in fundraising and service delivery. Overall, the Hamdi Foundation acts as both a grant‑making and project‑implementing body, with a strong emphasis on breast cancer reconstruction, global training and socially engaged, humanitarian action.