Journalist Samya Ayish and CNN's Tracy Doueiry, Salma Abdelaziz, Saad Abedine, Hamdi Alkhshali, Yasmin Amir, Roba Alhenawi and John Vause contributed to this report.
The other eight backers are retired professor Tricia David, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sir John Sulston, journalist Philip Knightley, Lady Caroline Evans, friend Sarah Saunders, Joseph Farrell, Sarah Harrison and Tracy Worcester.