PETALING JAYA: Since the day she was born, little Nurjannah Imani Ahmad Kadim has never been back to her family home.
Due to her suffering from a condition called patent ductus arteriosus, the two-month-old baby from Terengganu has only known the inside of hospitals as her parents sought treatment for her.
Patent ductus arteriosus means Nurjannah has an opening between the two major blood vessels leading from the heart. The abnormal opening causes too much blood to circulate to the baby's lungs and heart.
If left untreated, the blood pressure in the baby's lungs might increase (pulmonary hypertension) and the baby's heart might enlarge, weaken and possibly fail.
She also has a severe deviated septum, which could lead to other breathing difficulties.
The baby urgently needs RM35,000 in order to undergo surgery which would enable her to lead a normal life.
Nurjannah's mother, Wan Norzieyana Ismail, said she learnt of her daughter's condition three days after the baby was born.
"She is our first child. Doctors at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital informed me that my daughter had to be placed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) as she was born prematurely.
"She has been in the incubator ever since she was born two months ago," she said.
Nurjannah's father Ahmad Kadim Ahmad, 57, said they have taken their daughter to many hospitals to seek treatment for her condition.
"We took her to hospitals in Kota Baru, Kuala Terengganu and even the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital but to no avail.
The family received a glimmer of hope when Sunway Medical Centre agreed to perform the required surgery for their daughter. The parents were flown to the hospital via a mercy flight from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) as they were unable to make the interstate journey by land.
However, with Ahmad Kadim's meager earnings as a fisherman and Nurjannah's income as a cook, they are having difficulty raising the RM35,000 needed for the surgery.
Norzieyana said that her baby has yet to be taken home.
"Our daughter has been through a lot. I sincerely hope that the surgery will be successful so that she can come home.
"We would like to say thank you to those who are willing to donate. Our only wish is for our daughter to grow up healthy and happy," she said.
Donations can be made by cheque payable to "Media Prima-NSTP Humanitarian Fund" at Group Corporate Communications Department, Media Prima Bhd, Level 1, Anjung Riong, Balai Berita, 31 Jalan Riong, 59100 Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur (with the patient's name written on the reverse side of the cheque).
The public may also send their donations to Media Prima-NSTP Humanitarian Fund's Maybank account 5141-0532-3170 and indicate the patient's name on the recipients reference, or "other payment details" field.
The public may also send their donations to Media Prima-NSTP Humanitarian Fund's Maybank account 5141-0532-3170 and indicate the patient's name on the recipients reference, or "other payment details" field.
