BUKIT MERTAJAM: Bone cancer patient Nur Afifa Fitiya Zuhairi, 10, who has been stricken with the disease since she was six, is excited to go back to school in March.
She said before this she faced constraints to attend school due to her health issues as well as having to undergo follow-up treatment at the hospital.
“I was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2020 when I was about to enter Standard One. I was really sad but my parents gave me a lot of encouragement,” she said, adding that she is waiting to meet friends.
“It also happened during the Movement Control Order (MCO) due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I studied alone at home a lot and did not get the opportunity to attend school. However, after doing chemotherapy, my health improved and I was able to attend school last year, however, I had to skip school on many days due to my request follow-up treatments,” she said.
“Now, I only see the doctor every six months so there are no problems for me going to school.”
Nur Afifa Fitiya is among 80 cancer-stricken children who received school aid, organised by the Friends of Childhood Cancer Association Northern Region (FOCCAN) here yesterday.
These children, aged seven to 17, who are from Perlis, Penang, Kedah and Perak, will receive a RM200 voucher to buy their school supplies such as uniforms, bags, shoes and stationery.
Another recipient Nurin Amani Muhamat Syaukhi, 13, expressed her gratefulness for the aid, adding that this was impetus for them to struggle in the pursuit of knowledge even when faced with health issues.
Nurin, the youngest of three siblings, was diagnosed with leukaemia when she was seven years old. She is now in remission but still needs to go for check-ups at the Penang Hospital.
Meanwhile, FOCCAN chairman Maznah Tayib said the donations were an annual event to give these children encouragement to continue with their lives as students like other normal children.
“We can see everyone is happy and excited to be able to purchase their new school supplies,” she also said.
“We hope that with these donations, they will not only lessen the burden of their parents in providing for their school needs, but what is more important is the hope that all these children will try to study hard and then excel in their studies…and will not see illness as an obstacle to succeed,” she added. – BERNAMA
