Episode 22 Keep It Up Exclusive with Communications Coordinator CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa Taryn Seegers
Watch Level Up with Ziyaad, Nabihah, and Isa Plaatjes on Radio Islam International MW 1548
Episode 22: Keep It Up Exclusive with Taryn Seegers - Communications Coordinator CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa
Sunday 08th February 2026 / 19th Sha'ban 1447AH 14h00 - 15h00 (CAT)
Listen to Level Up with Ziyaad, Nabihah, and Isa Plaatjes on Radio Islam International MW 1548
Episode 22: Keep It Up Exclusive with Taryn Seegers - Communications Coordinator CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa
Sunday 08th February 2026 / 19th Sha'ban 1447AH 14h00 - 15h00 (CAT)
Transcript
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To dear listeners, it's just past 200 p.m. here in South Africa and it's our
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favorite day of the week, Yom Aad. It's the 19th day of Shahaban 14:47 ah which
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corresponds to Sunday the 8th of February 2026.
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I'm Zad Plachis and with me are my co-hosts Nabia and Issa Plachis. Welcome to Level Up where we listen, learn, and
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grow inshallah with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's guidance and we break down the week's news and talk about what really
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matters to young Muslims today. Our WhatsApp line is open. The number is 0727861548.
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You can call in on 01854702 or DM us on.com.
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That's IL A M. We on Instagram, Facebook, X,
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LinkedIn, YouTube, Tik Tok threads, and now Upscrolled as well. So for those that don't know, Upscroll is a new
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social media. Radio Islam International is also on there as well. So check it out, download it. It's um developed by a
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Palestinian Australian.
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Um so yeah, check it out. It's still in its teething stages, but alhamdulillah, there is an alternative to um Meta and
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all these other um haram social medias. So we are back,
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alhamdulillah, after our short break last week. I must admit it seems like a long time though, but good to be back
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with all of you this wonderful Sunday afternoon.
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Alhamdulillah. Did you miss it? Did you miss talking? Yes, I did miss talking.
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So today in the program we are chatting all about health and wellbeing. After the half hour, we hear from communications coordinator at Chuck,
2 minutes, 13 seconds
that's Childhood Cancer Foundation of South Africa, Terren Seagars.
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But right now, let's look at some of the top stories this week. So, I'll do the news this week.
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There is a lot happening in the sporting world this week. Let's start with the Winter Olympics.
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So, the Olympic Winter Games are from the 4th of February, 2026 until the 22nd
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of February, 2026 with the opening ceremony held on the 6th of February, 2026. So, alhamdulillah, this Friday was the opening ceremony. That's awesome.
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And I just love the fact that it's winter and yet it's scorching heat nowadays, isn't it? Here in the Southern
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Hemisphere, it's summer. But okay, you may continue.
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For those who don't know, the Winter Olympics is the world's premier winter
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sports festival festival held every four years. This year it's been hosted by
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Italy, specifically in the cities of Milan and Cortina, though events are spread across the northern Italian Alps.
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That sounds so awesome. I would love to see that. Hey, it would be nice to see, but there's
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actually some really um daring, dare I say, daring sports that take
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place down the Alps, like the skiing and stuff and other things. So, yeah, it's it's quite dangerous actually.
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I see you're not a fan of the winter sports. I mean, skiing is part of a winter sport, but um and and I'm sure
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that's what you have to do in the winter Olympics. That's why we as South Africans don't compete much. I am actually a a fan of the winter sports. I mean, u bobsledding and ice skating.
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They I like the sports, ice hockey, all the all the things. I'm just saying it's the skiing is a little bit dangerous when you when you're going down. If
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you've seen the the Italian Alps and you know the um the degree that they're
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going down, it it looks dangerous. I'm just saying they're obviously professionals. I mean, that's why they're in the they in the Olympics, but yeah.
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Yeah. Um no, I've never seen it actually. I must go um look it up now to see how exactly how um this angle of the
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Alps is that's making you and you of all people scared. So, I should check it out. But yeah, I love ice skating as well. Um, the bobsetting thing. No, I
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I've never done that and I've never heard of you doing that or seeing you do that. But okay, so you can carry on with the news.
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Around 2,900 athletes from over 90 nations are competing in 116 different events.
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You'll see the biggest competitors like Norway, Canada, and the USA, but also smaller delegations making history like
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South Africa. We are not as big Winter Olympics competitors as we are in the summer one.
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As mentioned, I highly doubt that.
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So, South Africa doesn't have a bob sled team.
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Why do you want to be part of it if if uh we did have one? No, I'm just saying if you if you know then you know.
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Okay, continue.
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Since the 6th of February was just the official opening ceremony, the big
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action has just begun in these last few days.
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However, mixed doubles, curling, and women's ice hockey actually started a couple of days ago on February the 4th to get through their long brackets.
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I I have to admit I need to go check out what curling is also. Okay,
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the figure skating team events have seen early standout performances from the USA
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and Japan, but keep an eye on Norway and Germany. They usually dominate the middle table.
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Okay.
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Yes, South Africa are competing. Uh this is actually a historic year for team
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South Africa. South Africa has sent five athletes their largest winter Olympic team ever.
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Oh my. Okay. Five is their largest is our largest. Wow. That is that actually does sound you know like like we said um
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winter Olympics is not really something that South Africa is big on and sending five is actually is um quite a big
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number. Hey but we don't play a lot of like winter sports I think. Um, I don't think we
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have like a national hockey uh team, ice hockey team. Well, we don't have a bob sledding team. Um, figure skating.
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Huh? Figure skating.
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Figure skating. Uh, so that's why there's there's individuals that are competing in some of the Winter Olympics, but not really the teams.
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Yeah. Um, I would love to um be a figure skater. I would love to learn how to do
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that because it just it looks so elegant, doesn't it? You know, when you watch it. But okay, so that's nice to
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know at least um you know, we are competing, you know, like we're not we haven't completely left out the Winter
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Olympics. There are some of our athletes competing. So tell us more about it.
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So like I said, we are not big competitors in the winter Olympics.
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Thomas Wear and Lara Mark Thaler are competing in alpine skiing. Mhm.
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Malikica Mal Herb in freestyle skiing.
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Nicole Burger in skeleton and Matthew Smith in crossount skiing.
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Um, did you just say a skeleton?
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Yeah, that that's a um a thing. Yeah. Oh, okay. What is it?
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Um, sk so skeleton is like bob slay and
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luch lu is one of the oldest winter sports. The athlete starts standing just
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like in Bob slay and after the initial push jumps face down onto the sled,
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descending the icy track at 130 to 140 km per hour and guiding the equipment
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using body movements unlike Luj the skeleton racer lies face down.
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Okay, so this is that scary thing that you were talking about Zia. This This sounds terrifying.
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Exactly. 130 to 140 km face down. It's like it's basically like wrap jumping.
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So if you know rap jumping is like ab sailing facing the the mountain. So this
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is basically you looking at the ice and you're going on this like bob sledding
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like toboggon or whatever it is and just like 130 to 140 km. So, think of you
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driving in a car going 130 to 140 km an hour, but now you under you have this
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cold ice like hitting your face at the same time and you have no protection around you. You're just holding on to
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the sled. So, this is why I said there's a lot of sports in the Winter Olympics that's really dangerous cuz even if you
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think about ice hockey and that park, South Africa is still chasing its first
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ever Winter Olympic medal. Since they are in individual sports rather than
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games like hockey, they haven't won a game, but they are officially on the starting lists. Keep an eye out for
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South Africa's Matthew Smith in the men's sprint classic cross country skiing in a few minutes at 14:25, inshallah.
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Oh, that's today. Inshallah. So maybe when we have our break, don't stop listening to us. maybe have our break you can go check it out and support
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Matthew what was his name Matthew Smith Matthew SM Smith okay and on Friday the 13th of Feb South
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Africa's Nicoleberger will make history as our first female skeleton racer
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inshallah in other news the men's T20 World Cup
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started yesterday in India and Sri Lanka.
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South Africa are in group D with Afghanistan, New Zealand, UAE and their
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first match tomorrow is against Canada inshallah.
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So do you think it will be our year this year um for the T20 Navia?
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I want to say yes. I like to be positive and also um uh no that's it.
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But I think in terms in terms of the group is you said they have um what was it UAE hopefully we can beat them
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inshallah. Um they have Canada who they're playing in a few days time. Uh Canada I think should stick to the winter Olympics.
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Um uh who else did you say was in the group? Afghanistan.
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Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a is a is a wild card though. I won't lie. I've seen them play and um I can remember in one
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of the um World Cups, they actually did really well and they beat some of like I think they even beat Australia or
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something if I'm not mistaken. Um but hopefully we'll beat them inshallah. I know it's against Afghanistan and UAE,
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you know, the the Muslim countries, but I mean we're South African first.
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I'm sure people won't have a problem with beating UAE though.
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Yeah. And then I think the only real threat in our group stages would be New Zealand. Um
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so yeah, inshallah we we have a chance of making it through the group stages.
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It's just who we get paired in the the um knockout stages. I think the most important thing is to put out positive
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vibes because um remember um I think it was one of the other episodes where we spoke about you weren't um um you you
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did do cricket at school and but you didn't play or what did you say you didn't play nationals I can't remember what it was and you said um we are all
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peop we are all um what coach coaches or something like that and uh we we tend to
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criticize and judge and say, "Oh, we could have done better or they could have done better and this and that." But um I forgot my points yet.
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Yeah. No, we we are, but at the end of the day, they're getting paid to do it.
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It's it's their job. So, no, but we wish them all the best like Isa said, and inshallah, we will uh bring the cup home this year.
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If you would like to join the conversation, our WhatsApp line is open. The number is 0727861548.
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Or you can call in on 011854722.
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Or you can even DM us on social media. That's I L O V E Z A C O
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M. Let's go for a break. And when we get back we will hear from communications coordinator
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at truck childhood cancer foundation South Africa Terren Seagars inshallah
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tutoring mentoring homeschool assistance concessions facilitation and more
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visit after grant academy the dawn of excellence
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and welcome Welcome back to Level Up. If you've just tuned in, we have been talking all about the Winter Olympics
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and the men's T20 World Cup. But right now, we are going to hear from
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communications coordinator at Choc Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa, Terren Seagars. If you would
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like to join the conversation, our WhatsApp line is open. And the number is 0727861548
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or you can call in on 0118547022 or you can even DM us on at.com that's ov zoom m.
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Terren Seagars is the communications coordinator at chuck childhood cancer foundation South Africa. She works as
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part of a dedicated team at Chuck, collaborating with partners and the media to drive national awareness campaigns and share the stories behind
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the organization's support for children and teenagers diagnosed with cancer and their families. Taran is passionate
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about using communication to build connection, compassion, and lasting impact. Hi Taran, I hope you're keeping well.
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Thank you so much for joining us. Taran, please can you give our listeners for those who don't know about Chuck a brief background of the organization?
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Chuck Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa is a nonprofit organization which supports children and teenagers who've been diagnosed with cancer or a
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life-threatening blood disorder. It also supports their families who are across South Africa. Founded in 1979, CHOC
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provides holistic support through accommodation near treatment centers, transport, psychosocial care, nutritional support as well as
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educational programs. This ensures that no family walks the childhood cancer journey alone.
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That's amazing. And then tell me, so every year we celebrate or observe flip-flop day where we make sure we wear
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our flip-flops and of course we wear the sticker. But why do we observe flipflop day?
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Flip-flop day is there to unite South Africans around a simple yet visible act to support children and teenagers who have been diagnosed with cancer. By
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wearing your flip-flops and purchasing a 10 rand sticker individuals as well as organizations and schools help chuck to
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raise vital funds and awareness to provide accommodation your hospitals transport to treatment psychos social support as well as our educational
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programs at the core. Flip-flop day is all about solidarity showing families on the childhood cancer journey that they are
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not alone and that every pair really does have a purpose.
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Every pair has a purpose. That's awesome. So, is it really that simple?
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How do people who want to raise awareness or want to get involved to show their support, how do they go about doing this?
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It is so simple to get involved. Simply purchase a 10 rand sticker from chalk, any of our chalk regions or a tacky town
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store nationwide and encourage others to do the same. After all, friendship is all about showing up and that is what we're encouraging South Africans to do.
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Show these families that they are not on this childhood cancer journey alone and we are there to walk with them on this journey.
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Thanks Taran. And then before you go, can you please let us know where can we find out more information about Chalk?
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To read more about Flip-flop Day or the incredible work that Chalk does, visit chalk.org.za.
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We are also on all of the social media platforms out there. So search for Chalk South Africa and you should be able to find us. That includes Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok as well as LinkedIn.
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Thank you so much Taran for your time.
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And do you have any last words before you go?
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Thank you so much for our partners who make this campaign possible. Takitan, Ibana, the courier guy as well as our
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insurance have helped us to amplify the message that no family will walk this journey alone.
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Thank you Taran for sharing that with us. Um I know I had the privilege I think about 2 or 3 years ago I went for
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the media launch for Chuck and you know it's it's it's a time um when you just
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realize you know like what is actually happening in the world you know we we always filled with this information of
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like information overload load you know we spoke about brain people being on social media like Tik Tok and just um you know like just consuming or not
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really consuming but flipping through videos and pictures and stuff and almost being desensitized to it because
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like we said we actually spoke about a long time ago we said that um you'll see something so heartwarming and you know
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or something that really deserves our tears, you know, our sad tears and then the next minute there's something that's ridiculous and you're laughing.
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Yeah. and and um you know going to these events even if it's just like an hour because it usually isn't that long. They
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have a few speakers, but actually listening to those cuz they they they get so so what happens at these um
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so-called media launches um they have someone obviously from Chuck speaking um
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like Hedley Lewis, he's the CEO or the MD of of Chuck. um then Teran Seagars as
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well and they get I think one of the partners or um but they get what what I
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found uh quite interesting and you know quite insightful was getting the parents or the kids who have gone through this
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whole process and who have been helped by chock and just listening to their
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stories and listening to I mean we know um what a dreadful disease these cancers
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right for anybody you know and we've had uh family members who have passed on um from it we've had family members who
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have suffered from it um who are recovering from it and uh may Allah grant all of them shifa and those who
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have passed on grant them janatu for do um but hearing it from a parent talking about a
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child or hearing a child speaking about going through it it just
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I can't say it's different but it's just something else especially as a parent you know like hearing that and um you
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know all that they have to go through the trauma the um you know the late nights the going
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through the the treatment the and just to have know that there is that little bit of support you know you have your
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family as support you know if you if you're lucky enough to have uh family um because some of these people just have each other. You know, it's just the
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mother and the son or you know uh father and daughter or whatever it is. And um
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you know having an organization like Chuck and other organizations out there that are doing this work that are
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assisting uh people through this they you know just the financial support for example knowing that you don't have to
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worry cuz that that's a big burden that's a big stress on it own because there's so many treatments and like you said there's in and out of
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hospital and I actually recently learned at the media launch of this uh this year's chalk that you know as you said one of the
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parents came to speak where her child is um currently or or was currently undergoing the treatment and she had to
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go in and out of hospital and um this organization actually helped her you know like they housed her and they also
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transported her to and from the hospital so that um you know the child could get the treatments. Yeah, they they actually
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have um chuck houses where they house the families for the duration of the period whether it's 6 months or whatever
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it is and you know they they they take care of them and I think that is such an
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honorable thing to do because we need more organizations like that. I think I I spoke about it a while ago and I said,
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"Alhamdulillah, we have masids everywhere." You know, like we can go we can step out of our house and there's a mala or masid. Uh but we need more youth
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centers. We need more of these organizations that are doing work where
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they take the financial burden off of people who are suffering. you know um yes we can support sending our money to
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Kaza to Africa to building wells but there's no but I mean other parts of Africa but
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there's so much here in South Africa that needs our attention right home and like we always say and
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because you know there is that saying charity begins at home as in you know with our communities and so on it needs
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to start local it needs to start within us first.
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Yeah. And um you know let's not let's not wait until Ramadan.
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No, let's start now. Let's continue after Ramadan. Also continue after Ramadan inshallah. Don't let it just be
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for that time. Or don't let it just be for you what you think a a holy month should be or or holy day, you know, like
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just give something on a Friday or just give something in Ramadan or no. Uh don't wait for that. do it continuously a little bit every day. You know, you
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still get rewards even if if it's given out of Ramadan, even if it's given not on a Friday and not on a Friday. You know, some
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people I know some people who actually wait till Friday, but I won't get into that.
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But inshallah um may Allah guide us on the correct path inshallah and help us to to be of those that follow in the footsteps of our prophet Muhammad.
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Just a reminder before, so make sure you get your feet ready for um flip-flop day. Make sure you wear those stickers
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and um as mentioned before, you can, you know, get those um stickers at techie town places or online and so on. And
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yeah, it's just basically a an annual fundraising event to raise awareness for, you know, children with cancer and
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teenagers who um suffer from cancer as well and to help them with the treatments because like we said, you
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know, Chuck is doing this uh thing for the the communities. So, they obviously need to raise funds and it's a good cause inshallah.
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Amen. With Ramadan around the corner, we need to ensure that we keep healthy as we have longer days, shorter nights,
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extra ibada, and we will be reducing the amount we eat and drink.
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So, one of the biggest things we face is an afternoon crash. We've all been there, I think. Um, where we just feel so
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lethargic and we can hardly do anything productive.
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So, this usually happens if there's a blood sugar spike and a sudden drop. So that's obviously outside of Ramadan. So
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I think we can we can take these lessons not only during Ramadan, but I mean it's obviously going to be a little bit more important during Ramadan.
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Um so maybe there's dehydration because we fasting as well or mental fatigue from work overload at school or even at the workplace.
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There could be a lack of light of sleep the night before uh because obviously we're having like I said shorter nights or stress levels might be high.
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Islam acknowledges this dip. Our beloved prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam practiced ka orula.
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Hope I'm saying that right. The midday rest. So take a short nap for shan does not take naps.
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Rest is part of sunnah not indulgence.
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So the sunnah eating mistake is having heavy lunches. We all love to have um a
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Friday lunch and then we have a energy crash after that. Um obviously during Ramadan we won't be having the lunch but
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um yeah the prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam said never overfill your stomach.
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Yes. So that's that one/3 um uh what is the theory? One/3 food, one/3 water, one/3 air.
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Yes. So a few morsels are enough for the son of Adam. Overeating steals the afternoon energy.
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Mhm.
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Then uh we spoke about sleep. So late nights don't punish you at night, they punish you the next day. That is so true.
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Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam disliked sleeping before isha and talking late after isha. Okay.
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So obviously the practice is straight after isha go to sleep. Go to sleep.
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It sounds easy though. You know sometimes you you just can't switch your mind off. But I think that's what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to
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actually try and um maybe wind down before Isha. Make a nice woodoo. Um you know get yourself ready then you know
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perform your isha salah. Um but the isha salah is is the the winding down. The winding down.
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Yes. Um and then you know like straight after isha go and try and sleep. Every night I said I'm going to try it inshallah. But
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inshallah tonight I will start inshallah before Ramadan.
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So your afternoon crash is yesterday's sleep mistake. Okay.
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So, how to eat for energy? You eat moderate portions. Eat slowly. A balanced meal. Protein plus fiber plus carbs.
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Um, you just added that part in the carbs.
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Drink water, not sugary drinks. And I know a lot of us, um, especially during Ramadan, are guilty of that. You know,
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break your fast with a sugary drink. And you shouldn't. We know that the sunnah is water and dates or dates and is date and
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water. Have a date in water first or water date.
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If you have zam zam also then you can break with that as well.
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Yes. And then also remember practice the one/3 thing there as well. I know we have fasted the whole day. We haven't
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eaten but still it's best to you know eat moderately. We don't need to stock up for the next day's fast
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inshallah. And and baraka comes with discipline not excess. Inshallah.
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So when does the crash hit? Instead of guilt, try this 10-minute reset. So whether you're at home or in the office, sit upright, do some slow breathing.
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We've spoken about this uh like five breaths just in and out slow breathing.
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But the deep breathing one where you hold it in for a few minutes and then okay then recite
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subhan allah you know some some did we do the the the virtues of
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because that is absolutely amazing. I've been reading so much about um how just saying with purpose all the time just
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really helps with everything. Did we do that? No we didn't. We didn't. We should definitely do it.
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And listeners if you do have anything so that we don't have to go do the research. If you want to send through anything you're welcome to send through
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the the benefits or the virtues of reading.
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Yes. So so you do that and then also drink some water. Obviously during Ramadan you can't do that but you should
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always have a water bottle at your table whether you're at home, at the workplace, at school, you know. Um it's it's allowed everywhere. You're allowed
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to drink water. So basically is this saying that we can't have a nap like if you're at work you can't have a a nap a
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10-minute uh nap at the desk. So you you must try and sit upright do the slow breathing read and then support her.
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Yes.
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Oh okay. But if you are at home and you have the privilege you can have the kula.
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Yes. But also um I know like even like during exams you know like you're writing a three or four hour exam and
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sometimes it's during Ramadan or you know it's just in the afternoon or whatever it is and these things it
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doesn't have to be a 10-minute reset even a 5 minute reset cuz obviously you know you're constrained with time. Yeah.
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Um you know these things can be done without disrupting anybody in the exam venue.
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Mhm. And this obviously lowers stress hormones naturally.
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Yes, the deep breathing definitely does that.
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Yeah. And like you said, the sitting upright, drinking water, slow breaths, you know, just it all um it helps with
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that. But if you feel that these crashes are happening on a more um let's say
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common basis so uh like daily or they more severe you know like um you just
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can't do anything every day then you might have to go and seek medical attention. Um so there might be an iron
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deficiency, blood sugar imbalance, thyroid issues, chronic sleep deprivation. So those things obviously need to be checked out. Yeah, definitely.
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And Islam encourages seeking treatment. Okay. So it's not that we can't go to doctors. We have lots of doctors. Alhamdulillah. Alhamdulillah.
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And yeah, we should we should seek some help. Um and then daily energy management.
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These are all sunnah aligned. There's the morning. So after like we say after faj do the deep work. Yeah.
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Have a moderate lunch. And then early afternoon a light rest or reset.
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So that's so that's after you have your yeah after d and then if you if you are at work then you'll have to do the reset
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you know if you with you you're not where somewhere somewhere where you can like just crash and have a 10-minute nap then you have to do a 10-minute reset.
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Yeah. And then um and then obviously you have assur. So there's gentle movement after assur. And then you have the night
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like we said and then isha an early wind down so that after isha then straight after isha inshallah you sleep
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and then also in Ramadan just remember no uh after ra after after tawi treats or anything try and read your isha read
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your tawi and then yeah that's also a very bad habit that a lot of us are guilty of staying up after
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tawi um and then eating until siri and then you No, that's
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no. So that definitely after theawi try and make sure that you go straight to bed. You don't even talk to anyone. You don't discuss anything.
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Yeah. Don't look at your phone. In fact, if you can leave your phone at home um so that straight after tarawi when you
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get back home, you just go straight to bed. Straight to bed.
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Don't look at your phone. Don't answer phone calls or whatever. Um so that you are able to have a good
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night's rest and then wake up nice and early for first and then
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um yeah like you said yeah because you want to maximize um you know the ibada in the month and um you
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know you need that balance as well and the balance protects both the health and your imm
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your what affects you today is actually from yesterday or last night. So your sleep, how you sleep last night affects the how your whole day is going to be.
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So in Ramadan, we need to be a bit more mindful of that.
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Yeah. And you also don't want to be unproductive at work.
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Um you don't want people to say, "Oh, this guy's fasting and uh he's, you know, not doing any work during the day or whatever." And it's it's it's ma it's not because you're fasting.
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It's mainly because of your bad choices.
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is the day before or your bad sleeping habits. Yeah. And then just try and and do as much as as prop as possible.
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um or vikar, you know, any type of vikar will obviously revive you and you know give you that spiritual awakeness that
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you need and then inshallah you can you know be able to read more um suras in the Quran so you can do more um
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recitation inshallah because Ramadan is you know for trying to awaken that that
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spiritualness inside of you you know because our bodies are starved loved our food, we are able to, you know,
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think more and and and just connect more with Allah. Inshallah.
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Yeah. And um talking about reading more in the Quran, if you just break it up, you know, after every salah, read about
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five pages, um you can read, make sure that you finish aam in the month of Ramadan.
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Yes. So, alhamdulillah, if you do uh listeners, if you once again want to join the conversation during the week, you can do so on our
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social media pages at iilov.com. That's I L O V E Z A C O M. We are on
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Instagram, Facebook X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Tik Tok, as well as threads and um this new one called Upscrolled.
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Upcrolled. I'm still getting used to stuff. Sorry.
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Um and you are welcome to read the articles on our website as well iza.com
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to our dear listeners for joining us on this lovely Sunday afternoon. Please join us every Sunday right here on Radio
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Islam International from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. inshallah. And I hope your spiritual preparations for Ramadan are
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going well inshallah or that you do start from today inshallah. Amen. And may Allah allow us to read reach the
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blessed month of Ramadan. Amen. From myself Nabi, from Isa and from Zad, enjoy your Sunday and we wish you a wonderful week ahead. Inshallah.
