Zahid and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman pay a visit to brain cancer patient Abdul Malik Abdul Rakman at Kampung Bugayah. Bernama Photo
SEMPORNA: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s visit to the home of 13-year-old Norrodiatul Mohammed Isah, who is suffering from a heart valve disease, had brought smiles and strengthened the spirit and motivated the family to face the challenging time.
Norrodiatul’s mother, Salmizah Sabu, 35, said she was deeply touched by the willingness of the country’s number two leader to come to their home in Kampung Labuan Senang, Bugaya, today, despite his busy schedule.
“I was excited just to hear about his (Zahid) visit since last week and I did not expect to be able to actually meet the deputy prime minister,” said the mother of eight.
Salmizah said Zahid’s visit also brought hope that the surgery on Norrodiatul’s heart scheduled for Nov 20 would be expedited.
“My daughter was diagnosed with heart valve disease last year and was admitted to the Semporna Hospital on Dec 25 and since then, she has been going in and out of the Queen Elizabeth 2 Hospital in Kota Kinabalu for her follow-up treatment, ” she said.
Salmizah said her daughter, who is the first in the family, used to be active in sports, especially netball, but she had since stopped while her diets was also controlled as she was only allowed to consume dry food.
“That’s why I applied for help to expedite my daughter’s heart surgery which was scheduled on Nov 20 this year,” she said.
In the meantime, Norrodiatul, the first former at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bugaya , also expressed hope that the surgery could be expedited as she wanted to get better soon.
“I miss being healthy, being able to play my favourite sport and going to school,” said the girl who wanted to be a doctor one day.
Meanwhile, Zahid also took the time to meet a brain cancer patient, a former school headmaster Ab Malik Ab Rakman in Kampung Bugaya.
Having suffered the illness since 2013 and bedridden, Ab Malik was grateful with Zahid’s visit at his home and made his dream to meet the country’s number two leader, a reality. – Bernama