She also presided over several national relief agencies, including the Egyptian Red Crescent, the country’s blood bank and the Egyptian Society for Cancer Patients. During Egypt’s 1973 war with Israel, photographs of her visiting wounded soldiers appeared in Egyptian newspapers. Mrs. Sadat’s high profile drew criticism from observers who accused her of exploiting her husband’s position to gain political leverage for herself. Her public visibility and political influence as Egypt’s first lady marked a complete departure from her predecessor, Tahia Abdel Nasser, who had kept a low profile during the rule of her husband, Gamal Abdel Nasser.
