KUALA LUMPUR: At just five months old, Eyliana Az Zahra Abdul Rahman has already seen too much suffering.
Just two weeks after she was born, doctors who attended to her during a weekly medical check-up noticed that her heart rate was accelerating.
Scans showed that the infant had an atrioventricular septal defect, whereby four holes were detected in her heart.
Her 17-year-old mother, Eylis Mardiana Mohamood said her new-born daughter initially had no problems and no symptoms. All that was shattered when doctors told her that something was not right with her baby's condition.
"The doctors did a scan on her and that was when we found out about her condition.
"She has also been gradually losing weight over the past month and her immune system is weak as she is still young.
"It saddens me that my baby needs to go through this and cannot be active like other children. I pray she will recover soon and be able to grow up like any other child," the housewife told the New Straits Times.
Eyliana Az Zahra, who was born in Tumpat, Kelantan, was transferred to the intensive care unit of Gleneagles Hospital in Ampang for further observation.
According to her mother, the baby needs to undergo heart surgery soon to treat the holes in her heart before it causes irreversible damage such as worsening heart failure and high lung pressure.
The problem, however, she said was the surgery costs of RM80,000. The family is strapped for cash.
"My husband is the sole breadwinner of the family and he is self-employed. Our monthly income is only about RM1,000 and it is not enough.
"We cannot afford the surgery. We're at our wits' end dealing with the medical costs, let alone surgery," said Eylis Mardiana.
The family is appealing for donations for Eyliana Az Zahra to undergo surgery and live a normal life.
Well-wishers who wish to donate may send cheques made payable to the Media Prima-NSTP Humanitarian Fund, with the patient's name written on the reverse-side of the cheque and addressed to: The Group Corporate Communications Department, Media Prima Berhad, Level 1, Anjung Riong, Balai Berita, 31 Jalan Riong, 59100 Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
Members of the public can also donate via cash to Maybank account (5141-0532-3170).