Case No. 2038: Samuel should be spending his time around his parents happily and carefree as he grows. Fate had a shocking turn for the family a month after Samuel was born.
At that point, Samuel suddenly developed a cough, runny nose, persistent high fever, and rapid breathing. His parents rushed him to the hospital and were heartbroken by the doctor’s diagnosis. Samuel suffers from ventricular septal defect (VSD) and atrioventricular septal defect (ASD), which is commonly known as “holes in the heart.” As this is a severe heart disease he was born with, his heart does not work as it should, putting his life in danger all the time.
In that moment, his mother began to cry because she couldn’t accept that her baby had to suffer so much.
【No Miracle But Worse News】
At first, the doctors said that, for some infants, heart defects might improve on their own with age. Unfortunately, fate was unkind to this family. According to the recent examination, Samuel’s hole in the heart has grown to 1 cm and won’t close on its own. If he doesn’t have heart surgery soon, things could turn very serious.
Because Samuel was breathing so difficultly, he had to use a CPAP oxygen machine while staying in the hospital. Every time he struggles to catch his breath, his mother feels as though her heart is being torn apart. In just 4 months, this baby hasn’t experienced anything in the world but pain.
【Family Loses Income Since Father Quit Job to Care for Samuel】
Samuel is the couple’s only child. For a long time, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been entrusted with helping the family from abroad live safely here. Samuel’s mother, Daw Pail Ning (28 years old), faces a language barrier and cannot take the baby to medical appointments on her own. Therefore, every hospital visit requires his father, U Tin Aung (36 years old), to accompany and translate. So, the father left his job to look after Samuel, which meant the family did not have any income anymore.
Holding his fragile son, U Tin Aung shared Samuel’s painful journey with our social worker, his face full of sorrow as he tried to keep from crying and to find someone who could help.
He told us that at night, Samuel often cries from discomfort, and both parents must stay up all night to care for him. Although they feel exhausted, what causes them true worry and anxiety is much harder to deal with. He’s been asking for help everywhere, willing to give up everything to secure his child’s future.
【Still Short RM40,000 for Surgery】
Samuel’s heart surgery costs RM80,000. The good news is that kind-hearted people have already helped raise half. But the remaining RM40,000 is far beyond what this desperate family can manage.
So, they turned to us for help. And we have decided that not letting this child lose at the start of life. Together, we must save Samuel and give him the chance to grow up healthy.
We earnestly request your kind helping hand; even a small contribution could help to save Samuel’s life. Your love and kindness will light up a family’s hope and help rescue a precious life. Please also help by sharing this message so that, together, we can give Samuel hope for survival.
