KUALA LUMPUR: The family of Catherine Teng Kai Xuan, 5, is appealing to the public for funds to allow her to undergo heart surgery so that she can have a normal childhood.
Teng, the youngest of three siblings, has multiple complications from congenital heart disease and needs RM110,000 for surgery.
Teng's mother, Lim Siew Lee, 42, said her daughter had health check-ups every six months since her first surgery at 8 months old.
"During her last surgery, the doctor discovered Catherine's oxygen level had dropped from 85 per cent to 80 per cent.
"Her doctor, Dr Lim Miin Kang, urged us to send Catherine for surgery as soon as possible so that her quality of life and life span would not be impaired.
"She needs to undergo the third stage of palliative surgery, called the Fontan procedure, to divert all the venous blood to the lungs directly.
"It's heartbreaking that my baby can't be active like other kids. I hope she recovers quickly and can grow up normally."
Teng was just two days old when her doctor detected complications from heart disease.
Lim said when she went for check-ups when she was pregnant with her daughter, the doctor said the baby's condition was normal, but two days after delivery, she was advised to go for further check-ups when her newborn's oxygen level dropped.
Teng, who was born in Klang, was admitted to Gleneagles Hospital in Ampang for observation.
Her father, Teng Kok Chin, 42, a car painter, is the sole breadwinner of the family. The family cannot afford to pay for the operation.
Those who wish to help can send donations via cheques made payable to the Media Prima-NSTP Humanitarian Fund to Group Strategic Communications Department, Media Prima Bhd, Level 4, Anjung Riong, Balai Berita, 31, Jalan Riong, 59100 Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, with the patient's name written on the reverse side.
Donations can also be chanelled to the fund's Maybank current account 5141 0532 3170, indicating the patient's name on the recipients' reference or other payment details section.