Case No. 2415: NOR AISHA AZZAHRA BINTI KHAIRIL HAFIZ has a pair of big, round, expressive eyes and a tiny mouth that makes her look adorable and lively. When our social workers visited her, she showed no fear of strangers and simply continued drinking milk from her bottle. However, behind her innocent and carefree appearance, her parents are carrying an overwhelming burden of worry and fear.
[She is not refusing to grow, her little body is struggling to keep up.]
When NOR AISHA was just over a year old, her parents noticed that her growth and development were significantly slower than expected. Medical examinations subsequently revealed that she was suffering from Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) accompanied by severe right ventricular volume overload. Due to her heart condition, her physical growth has been affected, leaving her noticeably smaller than other children her age.
At the time of diagnosis, the hole in her heart measured approximately 18 mm. As she was still very young, doctors initially adopted a monitoring approach, arranging regular follow-up appointments in the hope that the defect might close naturally as she grew older.
Unfortunately, her condition did not improve over the years. During subsequent examinations, doctors discovered that the hole remained open and had gradually enlarged, while her heart was also showing signs of enlargement. Given the worsening condition, doctors have advised that she must undergo heart surgery within the next six months to prevent further complications that could endanger her life.
[Even drinking a bottle of milk is a struggle.]
Her heart condition affects even the simplest activities in her daily life. Unlike other children, NOR AISHA cannot drink milk too quickly, as doing so may cause her to choke and even experience difficulty breathing.
Whenever she struggles to breathe, her chest rises and falls heavily, and the areas on both sides of her chest visibly sink inward with each breath. For her parents, witnessing these frightening episodes is heartbreaking. All her mother can do is gently rub her chest and pat her back, hoping to ease her discomfort.
Her mother, NORLELA BINTI MD GHAZALI (42 years old), became emotional and struggled to hold back her tears while describing her daughter's suffering.
Three years ago, NOR AISHA was rushed to the hospital after experiencing severe breathing difficulties and required oxygen support to help her breathe.
As a mother, the most painful part is not the exhaustion of caring for a sick child, but the helplessness of watching her daughter suffer without knowing what more she can do to ease her pain.
Her father, KHAIRIL HAFIZ BIN AZIZAN (39 years old), shared that although NOR AISHA can currently run and play like other children, she cannot engage in physical activities for too long, as she becomes tired very easily.
Over the years, the couple have diligently followed the doctors' advice and brought their daughter for regular medical check-ups, holding on to the hope that her condition would eventually improve.
However, when doctors informed them that her condition could no longer be left untreated and that surgery was necessary within six months, they were devastated by the news.
NOR AISHA is the youngest of three children, with a 9-year-old sister and a 7-year-old brother.
Her mother works as a technical assistant and earns a modest income, while her father was employed as a technician at a factory. Supporting a family of five was already financially challenging, but their situation worsened when the factory closed in October, causing the family to lose its main source of income.
With their daughter's urgent medical needs and the sudden loss of income, the family is now facing an overwhelming financial burden that they simply cannot manage on their own.
[A desperate plea to help her undergo life-saving heart surgery]
Left with no other options, the couple turned to us for assistance. After understanding the family's circumstances and conducting a thorough review, we have decided to launch a fundraising campaign to raise RM70,000 for NOR AISHA AZZAHRA's heart surgery expenses.
We sincerely appeal to the kind-hearted public to extend a helping hand and support this little girl in overcoming the life-threatening challenge. We also kindly ask everyone to help share this appeal so that the fundraising target can be reached as soon as possible, allowing her to be admitted to the hospital and undergo the urgently needed heart surgery without further delay. Thank you.
