(From left) Dr Wong, Dr Doris, Alis, Fatimah and Ramlan holding Noor Batrisyia, Ting and Karambir.
MIRI: Just two weeks short of her second birthday, there is nothing Noor Batrisyia Ramlan needs more than to be able to hear and speak.
According to her 24-year-old father Ramlan Abdul Hamid, he has yet to hear Noor Batrisyia call him ‘Daddy’ and her mother ‘Mummy’.
“I have never heard her utter those words and I hope with the implants, Noor Batrisyia will lead a normal life,” said Ramlan who travels to work from Niah to Miri by motorcycle daily.
Noor Batrisyia who has been using hearing aid for the last six months is the second child of Ramlan who works as a security guard at a secondary school here and housewife Alis Rama Affendi.
Diagnosed with hearing problems soon after she was born on May 14, 2015, Noor Batrisyia needs cochlear implants in both her ears to be able to hear and learn to speak.
Sole breadwinner Ramlan has no choice but to turn to the public for help to finance his daughter’s operation.
He had sought the help of Piasau assemblyman Dato Sebastian Ting Chew Yew who is also president of Sarawak Cochlear Implant Society, as surgery on both ears cost a whopping RM120,000.
According to Ting, this is the third fundraising by the society which had sponsored the surgery of two children, Ivan Ling and Athena Kho Yuan’s, in 2014 and 2015.
“I hope the generous public would donate once again – this time for Noor Batrisyia. It matters not how much you give as we are doing this to help the child lead a normal life,” Ting said.
According to Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist Dr Doris Evelyn Jong, Noor Batrisyia has been using hearing aid for the last six months but she doesn’t respond to it.
Dr Doris said investigations found her a good candidate for cochlear implants. The earlier the child receives the implants, the higher the chance of her hearing sounds and learning to speak.
“We are appealing to the public to help this child for us to insert the cochlear implants as had been done for the other two children (Ling and Kho). Once we have achieved the amount (RM120,000), we will carry out the implants as soon as possible,” she said.
Dr Doris who is also treasurer of the society added that the surgery will be done in Miri or Kuching.
“We have yet to decide on the location. Kuching is the cochlear implant centre in Sarawak. We have yet to discuss with the surgeon whether he would come over with the equipment or carry out the operation in Kuching.
Among those present at the press conference were Miri Hospital director and the society’s deputy president Dr Jack Wong, secretary of the society, Councillor Karambir Singh and Noor Batrisyia’s grandmother Fatimah Sheikh Salim.
Those wishing to donate can do so through Sarawak Cochlear Implant Society via Public Bank account number 3196459717.