Syrian President Bashar Assad and Syrian First Lady Asma Assad
© asmaalassad / InstagramSyrian President Bashar Assad and Syrian First Lady Asma Assad at a hospital in Damascus
Asma Assad, the wife of Syrian President Bashar Assad, has begun treatment for breast cancer, the presidency has announced on its official Twitter account.

The 42-year old was found to have a malignant breast tumor. It was discovered early, according to the announcement, which was accompanied by a photo of the first lady and her husband at a Damascus hospital.

The same photo was posted on Asma's Instagram account, prompting a flurry of good wishes from many of her 260,000 followers.


Strongly, confidently and faith .. First lady # Names of the lion begins the initial stage of treatment of malignant tumor of the breast discovered early .. From the heart .. The Presidency of the Republic and the Working Group wish the woman names Asmaa speedy .. Quoting the official page -- Google Translation


Asma is heavily involved in charity work, and has created a variety of organizations that function under the charity sector of the Syrian government. Official photos often show her visiting schoolchildren, orphans, and injured soldiers.
Syria First Lady Asma Assad
© Handout / Syrian Arab News Agency/ Agence France-PresseSyrian First Lady Asma Assad visiting a school for the children of fallen soldiers in Tartus, Syria, on September 7, 2017.
The first lady, who was born in the United Kingdom to Syrian parents, has three children with Bashar Assad. She moved to Syria in November 2000 after meeting Bashar, who she married just one month later.